And Then There Was Us
by alixxblack
Summary: When Riley & Lucas realize they are parting ways they agree to break up. But now Lucas has an extra plane ticket to Texas. He decides to invite Maya in her place. Follow Lucas & Maya as their relationship builds into something much, much more. (Told from first person from all 3 characters) {T for Mild Language, Brief/Vague Sexual Content, Mentions of underage drinking}
1. Girl Prepares for Heartbreak

_Disclaimers:_

_1) I don't own the show, characters, general plots, or any other similarities between this fanfiction and the show it is derived from, Girl Meets World. The same goes for any unintentional similarities between this fanfiction and Boy Meets World (as it's been quite some time since I've watched it and all)._

_2) This is my first GMW fanfiction so don't judge too harshly on this story, that would be appreciated._

_Author's Note:_

_This story will be told from multiple points of view. I will not announce who the points of view are from, but I will be separating them with these "XO" doodads that you see immediately below. This story is *not edited* and, therefore, all chapters are posted with minimal to no editing. I am writing this a creative vessel. Hopefully what errors that do exist do not hinder your ability to enjoy the story I want to share with fellow GMW Lucaya shippers :)_

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Prepares for Heartbreak

1 Week Ago: Christmas Break

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Mom and Dad told me last week that we were moving. Mom was offered a much better paying job after she won a star case. I expected something like this to happen eventually, mom is an amazing attorney and in New York no less! However, we are moving extremely far away. In fact, the job is in California._

_She assured me that she had taken all things into consideration. Auggie has a girlfriend. I have a boyfriend. Unfortunately, Dad lost his job at the school. Even though his class performance was very high, many parents found that his teaching style was "unconventional" and too "student focused." They felt that the students had too much say in how the class schedule was and how the work was completed. Also, he was on the staff for a significantly less amount of time than the other History teachers when they decided to down size._

_This was apparently the ultimate factor in Mom deciding to accept this job. She hadn't mentioned it to either Auggie or myself because 1) I am starting college in the fall in California anyway; and 2) Auggie is starting high school next year. I guess I understand all of this – but I never broke the news to Lucas that I got accepted to UCLA. I was hoping to tell him after the first of the year. He's returning to Texas to work on the farm with his father, so we knew eventually we'd have to have the "long distance relationship" talk. I was hoping for a little more time but Mom says we're moving during Spring Break… That's only 3 months away and that is nowhere near enough to address this with Lucas calmly._

_What's a girl to do?_

_Riley_

There was a knock on my window and it was none other than Maya Hart. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she sported her usual jogging garb. I still had trouble accepting that she'd changed so much since starting high school. So much had changed for her friend in their freshman year. Her mother had been hospitalized for a drug overdose, and Maya was temporarily placed in foster care when her mother left in the hospital overnight after passing out from over-exercising (because Maya had developed an eating disorder). In sophomore year Mom helped her get emancipated and found her a decent part time job she could manage so that she could take care of herself. Now she lived on her own and was already certified to teach yoga and zumba at a nearby gym. I was so proud of her but I was incredibly sad at the same time. At seventeen years old, Maya had seen some of the worst things the world had to offer. That is frightening to me.

"Come on in!" I shouted at her even though I was less than a foot away. She came in an immediately shed her windbreaker and exposed her fit frame. My eyes always trailed down her torso checking for any physical signs that she was starving herself or overexerting herself again, but she still had 'cushion,' as we aptly called it. Maya had learned to take care of herself the right way but as her best friend I never stopped worrying. Mom says that it's because I have a natural 'maternal' instinct. She thinks I should be a teacher like Dad was but I'm afraid that someday teachers won't be needed because of technology. I want to do something I know there will always be a demand for – so I'm planning on doing Management while I'm at UCLA.

And then as if on cue, Maya brings the topic up: "Are you telling Lucas tonight?"

She obviously already knew about the move and the UCLA acceptance. If Maya didn't already know then I would be a terrible friend. Unfortunately, she's been pressuring me to tell Lucas right away. I have been insisting that the timing must be perfect, but Maya's personality hadn't changed after all these years. She insulted me and harassed me about 'growing a pair' so that we could enjoy the last few weeks we're going to share together. She seems to think we can't do a long distance relationship. I told her that I wasn't worried about our ability to do it so much as the way it was approached. As this conversation replayed for the umpteenth time after her arrival I just balled myself up on the bed and sighed. Lucas would be here in ten minutes and I still had no idea what to do or how to do it.

Maya walked to the closet and pulled out the dress I'd picked out for the evening. Lucas and I were going out for dinner and a quaint Italian restaurant. He claims he didn't have reservations but I had Dad call to 'verify the reservation time for L. Friar' and they were able to confirm that a V.I.P. booth had been reserved. Dad and Mom have been trying to have 'the talk' with me about many different things like sex, marriage, and running away. They assured me that if my relationship with Lucas was meant to be that we'd find a way to make it work without having children, eloping, or running away to stay together for a little while longer. I assured them that none of these things were my intentions, although Maya had suggested all of them if I was _that_ worried about losing the relationship Lucas and I share.

I changed under the supervision of Maya would braided my hair neatly down my back and placed my favorite necklace from Lucas around my neck. We both stared at my in the mirror until Lucas inevitably showed up to escort me away. With the deepest frown on my face I kissed Maya's cheek and told her I'd be back by 11:00 and that she could help herself in if she wanted.

"Don't worry, kid, you'll be alright. This isn't the hardest thing you've ever been through." Maya comforted me before I left the room. But I was never one to let her have the last word.

"How could you possibly know that?" But she already pushed me out the door before I got an answer, "MAYA?" I screamed.

"BECAUSE YOU ARE STILL FRIENDS WITH ME! SEE YA!" I heard her slam the window shut and lock it. She wasn't going to come back later so I shuffled my way to the living room where even Lucas couldn't pretend to be happy. Dad and Mom glowered at me like they wanted me to cancel the date but we all knew, even Auggie, that tonight had to happen. Lucas and I didn't even have to speak to know that tonight we were going to talk about the 'long distance' relationship forefront finally.

* * *

><p>Author's Fun Facts? Here you go even if you don't want it.<p>

This chapter was initially titled Girl Meets Heartbreak. But I accidentally ended up writing approximately 10K in one sitting. This started off as maybe a 2 shot story but it evolved a little more because I wasn't looking to rush the end game and the first four chapters sort of happened. I adjusted to the initial saved title to fit what this chapter actually covered.

R&R?


	2. Maya Meets Lucas Unwrapped

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Maya Meets Lucas Unwrapped

1 Week Ago: Christmas Break

1 Hour After the Italian Restaurant

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Lucas and I just broke up? I mean, I shouldn't say that as a question because it is incredibly clear that we broke up. I'm devastated, obviously, but I think that this was clearly going to happen eventually. Maybe it's because I'm still angry, but here's basically what's happened._

_First, when we got there Lucas two boxes laid out in front of him on the empty table. One was a promise ring and the other was a plane ticket to Austin, Texas in addition to his own. He told her that his dad encouraged him to bring her out for the holidays so that he could meet her. The other was a promise ring that his mother had worn when she was in high school and was married to her dad. I pointed out that it clearly didn't matter because his parents were now divorced. Lucas did not take to it well even though they'd discussed it many times._

_Second, he told me I had to pick one and earn the other. When I told him I wouldn't choose because I didn't understand what he was trying to get out of me, he then said that he saw my acceptance letter to UCLA when he got into my bag the other day to get an extra pencil during class. My jaw had dropped but in an effort to diffuse my not telling him about it, I explained that that was now the least of my worries._

_Third, he thought I was talking about the situation at that time in the restaurant. He whined and groaned about how I wasn't even taking him into consideration. Lucas reminded me that he literally got off the phone with his dad and then called me when he decided he would go back to Texas. I argued that his decision to go back to his father was very different form deciding to go to college. Immediately I knew I'd said something stupid because I basically said that going to do a job you didn't need an education for wasn't as life changing as going to college. There was a long silence because we had to order and refills came. Once the entrée was served I realized I had to rat myself out and tell him the gravity of my acceptance to UCLA._

_And then the fourth messy thing happened. He slammed his fist on the table and refused to look at me. He asked how we were supposed to make a long distance relationship work if she didn't trust him to know this information right away? Lucas is not an angry person, he never has been, but I clearly had brought out a frustration in him that I didn't even know existed. When I reached across to grab his hand he didn't recoil or deny the comfort. Instead he just too my hand and squeezed._

_That's when he said that maybe we needed to call the relationship itself quits and focus on being friends while they both prepared to move away in the coming months. I had agreed that maybe that was for the best because then all the complications of romance and attachment could be wiped away. I can't believe I agreed to it. When Lucas dropped me back off he assured me that his feelings for me hadn't changed, just that they couldn't be a couple under the circumstances we found ourselves in._

_I am ready to scream. Maya isn't responding to my texts or calls, but I expected as much. She locked the window before she closed it and that's always her way of saying that I need to work through something on my own. Even though I am angry about it I understand that she's trying to prepare me for a time when she can't just crawl through my window and hug me until I feel better. Maya is amazing. I need to focus on that because I know that no matter what happens I'll always have Maya._

_It's time to call it a night._

_Riley_

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I had just set my table for my incredibly late dinner. Tonight I was having a grilled pork chip and some steamed broccoli with cheese. I remember a time when I didn't know how to cook and when I didn't like vegetables. But, to be fair, I was basically a brand new person. High School changes people and all I can say is that I'm glad it changed me for the better. Elsewise I wouldn't have this delicious food in front of me, and decent place to live with a decent job; I smiled knowing that it wasn't much but it was still success for me.

My phone began buzzing and it was obviously Riley calling back for the twentieth time. I knew that the evening was probably going to go bad so I had made sure that she knew I wasn't going to show up this time to pick up the pieces. I warned her that I wasn't turning my back on her but preparing her for work through her own problems without me. We loved each other enough to know I wasn't being mean, I was just being a 'tough love' kind of friend. She would be fine. I knew she would.

When I glanced at my phone, though, a different name was flashing across the screen. I swiped it up immediately and scrunched my brows together.

"I swear, Ranger, I've done nothing wrong this evening. Whatever the neighbors are complaining about, I swear to you that it wasn't me. Not this time, anyway." Lucas would only call if there were an emergency. I wondered if I was doing the wrong thing by not answering Riley's calls but when there was a knock on the door I dropped my shoulders. It couldn't be that big of an emergency if Sundance danced his way to my front door.

"Open up." I hung the phone up and opened the door. He stood with his jacket off and his belt out of his slacks. He looked like a tired businessman, which made me all the more empathetic towards his situation. He smacked my cheek lightly and helped himself into my apartment. I sighed and shut the door, locking it habitually.

"How bad was the break up, then?" I didn't bother with the formalities that Riley and Lucas often used when talking to each other. I still had awful manners, especially with Lucas, so none of that stuff was necessary.

"She just agreed to it. I mean, I suggested the break up, but she just said that it was probably the best decision to make. How is that even possible?" Lucas complained as he helped himself to the dinner I laid out for myself. I sat next to him at the larger-than-I-actually-needed-table. With both hands on the table I just shrugged.

"If I answer honestly it will just spoil your mood." I revealed.

"Maya, if I thought you were going to make it worse I wouldn't have come here." Lucas also revealed information of his own. I looked up and met his gaze. I guess I had never known until that moment how much he trusted me and saw me as a close friend. As much as he had turned to Farkle with his personal business, which Farkle always in turn shared with me when he came over for Movie Night Tuesdays, somehow Lucas thought that this crisis was best matched for me. I was somewhat flattered, although significantly more anxious than anything.

"Riley's parents told her not to worry about breaking up already. She knew last week when she was leaving and the only reason she even planned to tell you is because her parents and I have been telling her that it's going to work itself out. I mean, it will so there's no point in me telling you different. If you and Riley are supposed to be together then it'll happen. I'm not all knowing so I can't say how or when, but I suppose that's how it all works." Lucas began rubbing his face after I told him. I couldn't really tell if it was because he was concerned about what I said or if he had seen it coming and was so angry that he could do nothing else. I guessed that I would have been pretty ticked off if I were him, though. One thing that Lucas never did was keep secrets from Riley. He told everything to her immediately, especially if it were going to affect their plans or their relationship.

I remembered how distraught Riley had been about him moving to Texas. He knew before she got accepted to UCLA. They'd been avoiding the topic for months. I warned Riley that they'd probably break up if they couldn't decide whether or not they wanted to have a long distance relationship immediately. I wondered if this had crossed Lucas' mind, so I figured I might as well redo the conversation with him.

"You know, I think both of you expected this to happen when you said you were going back to Texas." I implored him to consider.

Lucas nodded his head, then shook his head, then nodded it briefly again. He took another bite of my broccoli and smiled. He must have liked it, although I couldn't imagine how. I'd never seen him eat broccoli once.

"I suppose that's true. Why do you think so, though?" Lucas just carried on eating my dinner. Since I hadn't gotten around to pouring a glass of milk I decided to get up and diffuse the tension. I ended up pouring two and heating up a microwavable dinner. It was an Asian medley of some sort that would be just as satisfying as the pork and broccoli. While I was prepping stuff in the kitchenette, I replied to Lucas.

"Because if you love someone and you know you want to be with them you don't have to think about a long distance relationship. You just go right into and figure it out as you go. It's not as hard as adults make it out to be. Do you want to try to be with that person or not? You and Riley had to have had pieced that together the last couple of months. I think you guys were more worried about picking the best time to call it quits than you were about anything else." My opinions were hardly ever humble so it was not a shock to Lucas to hear what I'd said. In fact, he joined me in the kitchenette with his plate and ate with me at the counter. His elbows rest against the counter while I rinsed my hands off.

Lucas didn't say much right away but after about ten minutes he nudged me with his shoulder. I laughed a little bit because I knew he'd sort of agreed with what I'd been saying. It was our unspoken way of ending a conversation about something nobody wanted to talk about. It's sometimes how we changed the subject when Riley was talking too much about something neither of us cared about, like nail polish or celebrity news.

"You're a great friend, Maya. I'm glad that you and I didn't kill each other throughout the years." Lucas concluded aloud. I smiled at the wall. Things hadn't been easy. I had met Lucas under the strangest of terms. I'd pretended to flirt with him and maintain a fake relationship to help Riley figure out talking to boys that she liked. When Riley made her attraction to Lucas clear, I sort of stopped noticing how cute and funny he was because I knew that I wasn't his type. I mean, to be fair I'd never really fawned over Lucas or felt an overwhelming attraction to him the way that Riley had. But, that's not to say I didn't have the tiniest crush on him after all this time. Because I'd be liar if I tried to say such a thing…

"The pleasure's been all mine, Bucky McBoing Boing." My voice wasn't harsh, like it usually had been when I used one of his cowboy nicknames. And his laugh wasn't full of irritation as it normally would have been. Instead I spoke airily and softly, and he laughed fully and sweetly. When we turned to look at one another there was a hint of – I don't know – something different. For the first time ever I had felt incredibly nervous around Lucas.

He must had noticed it too, because he stuttered when he followed up, "Don't f-flatter yourself, P-project F-fitness." He'd taken up calling me this weeks ago. He found it hilarious that even though exercising is what almost killed me that I'd turn to it and rely on it to make a living. He still urged me to be an artist and do marketing. I never did well in school, though, so I couldn't go to college to get a marketing degree.

"Thanks for eating my dinner. I wasn't hungry anyway." I stuffed my mouth full of microwaves vegetables in soy sauce. Lucas helped himself to my refrigerator and poured himself another glass of milk that I hadn't even noticed he'd consumed.

"Oh, well then I suppose you weren't planning on crashing on the couch either?" I sighed. This wasn't the first time he'd come and crashed at my apartment when he was upset about something. When he'd been having a rough time over the summer applying for colleges. It wasn't that he couldn't get in so much as he wasn't sure he wanted to go. Besides, he couldn't get scholarships in spite of he good grades. He was like the 12th percentile, which put him just outside the _crème de la crème_as he always put it. His parents could afford to put him through college if he didn't work, too, which was really not that difficult. At least I didn't think so because I'd worked through high school and lived on my own. I don't know. I think Lucas just didn't want to go because I was sure he could have gone if he wanted to go that badly.

"Lucas, you know I don't mind the company. Being here alone sucks most of the time, but don't you think that would look kind of bad when Riley comes around in the morning to talk about the whole break up thing?" Even I wasn't so heartless and blunt to ignore something as fundamentally obvious as that was.

Lucas turned around and made a quirky face that he had definitely picked up from Riley. When she was frustrated her nose wrinkles and brows scrunched and her chin tightened. She looks sort of like an angry seal, which was comical on her. It was drop dead hilarious on Lucas, though, and I had just broken into laughter because it was too much.

He joined in and reached around to put his dishes in the sink, running warm water over them courteously. Those were his southern manners showing. It was something that Riley admired about Lucas: he was _always_ a gentleman. Which only added to the shock factor about him asking to stay over when they both knew that eventually Riley would show up.

"I don't want to go home, Maya. You know how my mom gets about these things. She adored Riley and she's going to belittle me for breaking up with her. Please don't make me go home, at least not yet." Lucas pouted, although I can't imagine that it was on purpose. I thought he was honestly bothered about the prospect of his mother getting on his case. I ignored him to finish my own meal. In that time he'd wiped the table and the counter down and gotten the guest pillow and blanket from the coat closet, and finally planted himself in the center of my couch. I pursed my lips and joined him in defeat.

"Fine, Lucas, you win this one. But when Riley comes in the morning and you're still here you'll be the one explaining why you came over to my house. It doesn't look good. It looks the opposite of good – it looks very, very, _very_ bad." I told him, even though I knew that agreeing to let him stay was likely going to make my life difficult. I implicated myself where I ought not be implicated. It would come to regret it, I knew I would.

* * *

><p>Another Author Fun Fact :)<p>

I'm a huge Doctor Who Fan (I'm actually trifecta, Superwholockian, if we're pulling out the big guns here). When I wrote the last line that Maya speaks I had the Eleventh Doctor in mind and even as I'm scanning over this again before publishing I only hear his voice. This probably makes me a terrible author..


	3. Boy Meets Girl Talk

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Boy Meets Girl Talk

1 Week Ago: Christmas Break

12 Hours After the Italian Restaurant

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Maya fell asleep on my shoulder last night. I had to pee first thing when I woke up so I nudged her off of me gently so I could use the bathroom. While I was up I checked my phone and saw a missed call from my mom, from Farkle, and from Riley. I also had missed messages from the same. My mother was asking about the dinner, Riley was telling me that she would be coming to Maya's (as he expected), and Farkle said he diffused my mother's worry by stating that he came over to his place. Farkle knew, though, that he'd been at Maya's.

When I returned to the kitchen I made breakfast for Maya and myself. I usually did this when I stayed over. The only thing I knew how to put together was toast and eggs, so that's exactly what I got together. As soon as I put the plates down, Maya woke up because her phone was ringing. She teetered half-awake to her phone on the kitchen table and joined him. She glanced at him before answering the phone.

"Good morning, Riley." She groaned into the phone as pleasantly as Maya Hart could manage. I smiled to myself knowing that Riley wouldn't want to know I was there after we'd broken up. Maya had been right in saying it would look very bad on both of them. Riley would have overthought it.

"I'm just eating my second helping of breakfast." I was impressed that Maya was already covering her footsteps. Riley would have noticed both plates in the sink when I would not have even paid mind to it. And Riley was twice as observant when she was upset, so I silent gave kudos to Maya for having planned ahead.

"Yes, a second helping of actual food. Eggs and toast, yes, because that's an easy and healthy breakfast. Besides, it's going to be a long day. You're going to make me relive your terrible, awful Italian Restaurant story and I'm going to have to recount all the times that Lucas was almost a jerk. It's going to be very tiring for me. I've never had a boyfriend and I'm pretty sure it's because the aftermath is more exhausting than the relationship itself." Maya was going on and on about how horrible her day was going to be. I knew that it was probably twice as bad for her as it had been for me. When Riley broke up with her previous two boyfriends she cried all day, she started whining whenever we saw him in the hall. She hated the new girlfriends, even after all the time that had passed. I'd been dating Riley for two years now and she was still sort of bitter about it last I knew.

"I promise to be more pleasant when you come around. When did you plan on being here? I still have to shower and all that hygiene stuff." Lucas understood that 'hygiene stuff' meant that she was on her 'cycle.' I wasn't supposed to know that but Riley had mentioned it once. I couldn't pretend to forget that information, either, because it was also her way of getting out of doing things with me and Farkle, like watching football games at school and going to 'away' debate competitions.

I had never really considered Maya in that light. I don't know what I had thought until that point but I just supposed she was an alien, apparently. I felt like I was invading her space when she said she had 'hygiene stuff' to attend to, especially since that felt like intimate information that she wouldn't want me to know. Or anyone to know, actually.

"You're right outside aren't you?" She said almost immediately afterwards.

"I'll come get the door in just a minute. I have no pants on." The way Maya lied to others so effortlessly was unnerving and yet I was still impressed at how easily she made it work. She grabbed my plate and threw it into some Tupperware haphazardly and pointed me in the direction of the linen closet. I didn't want to do it but I knew that I'd have to because we didn't have time for another plan. I took my portion of the breakfast into the closet and turned my phone onto silent. I sat on the floor and tucked under the lowest shelf. It was a tight squeeze but I was more worried about the fact that I heard Riley's voice right outside of the door almost instantly.

"Maya, he broke up with me." Riley declared.

He could hear Maya rustling in the kitchen, rinsing off my plate and possibly reusing a glass from the night before. I took a bite of toast and sort of waited, since there had been no other options.

"I supposed as much. You called around fifty times last night and kept texting me frown face emoticons." Maya's voice sounded light even though she was being annoyed. I laughed very quietly to myself.

"I agreed to do that. Why did I agree to do that?" Riley whimpered, clearly already on the verge of tears.

"Because you didn't want to spend the next 3 months fighting about both of you moving and reminding each other not to see other people? You both would have gotten possessive and jealous. That's not how you are so, like adults, you realized this and broke up amicably." I didn't even know Maya had such a developed vocabulary. I should have guessed, though, because she had been performing very well in English considering she could never be caught reading the material assigned.

"I don't know that it was amicably. I told him that I'd be over here today if he wanted to join us for some…" Riley was about to say shopping, but Maya stopped her from continuing.

"He does _not_ want to go shopping with us." Maya stated with a tone of amusement. I wanted to text her as a joke and say that I'd love to go shopping. I knew that would be wrong, so I just kept eating the eggs I made.

"I know, but I didn't know how else to invite him to hang out. It feels different now. Gosh, Maya, it's only been half a day!" Riley groaned and audibly smacked her head on the dining table. I tried to ignore it but I kind of felt the same. When she invited me to join her and Maya by text it felt forced, like she didn't want to really invite me.

"I think maybe you and Lucas just need a few days to adjust. Thankfully we are on Christmas break. Lucas is supposed to go to Texas anyway, isn't he?" I was offended that she hadn't asked me about it the night before. I was hoping it would have come up in conversation because my father was expecting me to bring someone back with me to keep me company on the ranch while he worked at night. I had intended on inviting Riley, and her parents had already said that if Riley wanted to go she could. Now I couldn't take her and I had no plan on taking Farkle. It had occurred to me the night before that I could probably have Maya tag along. She'd never been on a proper vacation anyway, so I thought it might be the nice gesture to make…

"Yeah. I think he was going to ask me but I can't go now! It would be uncomfortable. We'd probably just take subtle jabs at each other about this whole mess. Or worse – we'd make bad decisions like Mom and Dad said." Riley had mentioned that her parents had been worried about how she would handle moving away, but she hadn't really explained what they thought she'd do about it.

"I think you could legally marry in Texas, too, at your age so – yeah – it probably be a terrible idea for you to go. Maybe he'll just ask Farkle instead." Maya suggested exactly what she knew he would never do. Riley immediately said it, too.

"Farkle would make it a Christmas Nightmare if he went with Lucas." It was true, too. Farkle had asked to go initially, being what he assumed was funnily persuasive. Lucas had told him that it would be too much Farkle-time for a lifetime and told him nicely that he'd not wanted him to tag along.

"He has other friends he could take, Riley. I'm sure he'll figure it out." Maya deflected. Even in the closet I had sensed the tense air between both girls. Riley could be heard getting up and tending to the dishes in Maya's messy sink.

"Maybe he could take you, Maya." She dropped a plate on the floor and it shattered immediately upon impact.

"RILEY JANE MATTHEWS!" Maya exclaimed, "That is an awful idea!"

Riley apparently had been serious, because she countered immediately.

"Not really, not if you think about it. You've been friends with him just as long as I have. Now, I know he mentioned breaking up first but he's got to be as confused and broken up as I am. I have both of my parents and my brother to keep me company and distract me, but I know that when Lucas goes down there his dad is working a third shift retail job to make up for the lack up cash during the off season on the ranch. He's going to be alone and that's not good for anybody." Riley clearly thought it was a great idea. I had to admit I was definitely considering asking her after I'd heard my thoughts confirmed. But Maya made her feelings on it pretty clear.

"Riley, you're asking me to be a spy. And if he asks me then he's putting me in a bad place too because then you'll start worrying about what we're doing while we're in Texas – and I just don't want to be in the middle of it. If I go there's no good that could come of it. Absolutely none!" Maya was right, and I think Riley and I both knew when we heard it. I decided I wouldn't even bother asking. I'd just try to get a refund for extra spending cash while I was visiting my dad.

Riley wouldn't accept 'no' as an answer.

"I may or may not be asking you to keep tabs on Lucas and tell me how he's dealing with the break-up because if I'm honest it was more of a mutual break up than a him breaking up with me event… But you have been working your bottom off for almost three years. I think you'd like going to Texas. There's a bunch of sunshine. There are horses and ponies to ride. There are rodeos and bonfires. There are beaches. You will have a load of fun in Texas." Riley spoke as if she'd already committed Maya to it.

And a second later I got a text from Riley suggesting that I invite Maya to Texas since she couldn't go. I had never confirmed for her that there was a second ticket to Texas for this trip, but she must have noticed the dates on them at the restaurant. I had to reply so I asked her how she knew I had two tickets.

"SEE MAYA!" Riley shouted. It turns out Maya was over near the closet, and a moment later her face was in mine while she bent over to get a towel. She grinned at me and replied to Riley, straightening back up as she did so.

"No I don't see, but please share." I could see the faintest sass in her expression as she turned slightly to look directly at Riley, who was reading the text he sent back to her.

" He says, 'I didn't tell you about the second ticket? How did you know I was going to invite you?' THAT IS WHAT HE SAID TO ME MAYA! He needs someone to go with him, Maya." I made a puppy dog look, I should not have done it because that just confirmed that I did want to ask her. She looked back down and kicked me with her foot, pretending to be stuffing a blanket or something away I was sure. When she caught my eye, though, I could see she already considered accepting the unspoken offer and the almost official command.

"Give him a day, Riley. He might not even want me to go."

Riley text me back saying that she had guessed from the way I'd been acting lately. It was true, I had been dropping hints, so I wasn't surprised as I wanted to be. Before I could reply to that she reminded me that I should invite Maya to Texas. So I asked if her she thought that was a good idea considering.

"Maya, I think he wants you to go. He thinks you'll reject his invitation." Maya could be heard turning the shower on in the room behind the closet. I didn't realize how uncomfortable it made me knowing that Maya was naked less than three feet away from me and the only thing that separated us was the wall. Riley followed her in and I couldn't believe it, this was not how he acted with Farkle – that was for sure!

"I don't know, Riley! I just don't know about that!" Maya declared very finally on the matter. Riley grunted and tried to get her typical 'last word' in before the topic was completely discarded.

"It's not like _you_ have feelings for him, Maya! You'd just be going as his friend!" Riley spoke very daringly and childishly. She clearly had wanted someone she trusted going with me to Texas. I didn't plan on arguing either because I did want to invite Maya. Especially now that Riley didn't seem to want me somewhere she couldn't watch, which was either incredibly in character or incredibly out of character.

"FINE! If Ranger Roy invites me to Texas so he doesn't have to be a baby-waby about the breaky-upy you two had then I will go! But I don't want anyone acting jealousy or childish towards me about it because I DID NOT WANT TO GO!" Maya shouted.

"I think someone should have had thirds because they are grumpy-wumpy." Riley cheered, "How about I go get doughnuts and coffee!"

"Fine. Lock the bottom lock and I'll get the dead bolt after I dry off." Maya declared. Moments later I heard the front door shut softly and watched another message from Riley come across my screen.

_Maya has had it rougher than either of us could imagine. She deserves to go somewhere nice and have fun with a good friend. She doesn't know it yet, but she definitely wants to go! :) :)_

As soon as I heard the water turn off I waited to be summoned from the closet. I knew it would take some time because she had to change and lock the door before she let me come out. When Maya did open the closet door she had a hand on her hip and frown on her face. I smiled up at her and handing her my dishes. She sat them on the top shelf and helped me out.

"You better make arrangements with the gym to go to Texas." I laughed. Maya pushed me against the wall angrily and pointed a finger so close to my face her fingernail brushed the tip of my nose.

"Now you listen to me, Lucas Friar, I am only doing this because if I don't Riley is going to be a mess while you're gone. And since you basically made it clear you didn't want to take anyone else I'm obligated to both of you. At least you both want the same thing! But I am not, _not_, going to be put in the middle of this." Maya clearly had sensed danger. I promised I wouldn't cause any trouble and I understood that she'd be reporting information to Riley. We both agreed to keep our cool and not let the break up control us and to let Riley work through her concerns in her own way. We shook on it and she escorted me to the escape exit. I slid the ticket back under the window for her. I watched her put it in her wallet before I climbed away.

* * *

><p>Miscellany Chatter: Readers, please don't hate me for making up a middle name for Riley. I couldn't find one or recall one being used. I actually do the same for Lucas coming up too. Ponder on what the circumstances are for that incident. But don't wonder too long since I posted the first four chapters all together.<p> 


	4. Girl Meets Texas

Author's Note: This story is going to shift to Maya & Lucas centric entries. When Riley is being written into the storyline it will be in the form of her diary entries. Don't fret, though, she will return later in the story. I'm sure by now you're concerned that she's out of character – but aren't we all a little out of character when we're teenagers (seniors, no less)?

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Meets Texas

Present Time.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I am sitting in the bed of the truck. I still can't believe I just arrived in Texas. It's strange because I didn't know that I wanted to come until just now. The sweet and warm air coursing through my chest; it is so different from New York. I can see now why Lucas wants to come back here and work with his father. The ranch is profitable from what his mother has said, but she was a city girl at heart. I'll never know how she was married to Lucas' father for fifteen years before she realized she wanted to leave, but that's not something I plan on having to deal with.

Riley is still texting me trying to convince me I'll be alright on this trip. What she can't seem to see, though, and probably never bothered to see before is that I did have feelings for Lucas. They were and are still buried very deep. Lucas was always meant to be for Riley and I know that's where he belonged. When they kissed it was clear they were happy. They will still be happy, I am sure of it. But when I see Lucas' hair whipping in the wind from driving I can't help but ask when I'll be happy too.

Lucas' father asked me to sit in back because he had some private questions to ask his son. I knew that it was probably about Riley and growing up and why I was there instead. I wasn't offended because in my life I've been the object of question many times. This situation definitely called for it so I just smiled when he asked and crawled in back here. It's nice, though, I think this is the best way to integrate myself into the countryside.

My dad is sitting next to me with confused eyes tracing the roads as he sees the usual path he takes home right before him. I wait for the first question to come out of his mouth, and when it does finally come I am running my tongue along my teeth to check that they were still clean.

"That's not Riley, son." He states with a level of shock.

"No, that's Maya. I've told you about Maya, dad." I sincerely hope that he doesn't ask too many questions about Maya, but I know he will. My mom instructed him to before I left. I watched her send the e-mail about it. My dad isn't a texting sort of man so we always e-mail him, and she didn't try to hide her concern about the break up with Riley.

"I know all about Maya. She makes fun of ya for bein' a country boy and she got in all kinds of trouble growing up. That's not who I was expectin' today." His mustache was longer than I've seen in in a long time. It looks sort of like a furry creature died on his upper lip but that works for him, I suppose. He doesn't look bad or frightening. I ignore it and focus on the real topic he's trying to broach.

"Riley and I broke up, dad. We don't think we'll be able to do a long distance relationship, you understand that from your divorce with mom. We want to still be friends so that we part ways on good terms. I invited Maya because she's had a rough the last few years. She's got an odd way of showing it, but she cares deep down. She's a great friend." I feel myself try to keep talking about the wonderful things Maya has done for me, like always letting me crash at her place. Or always decoding girly things about Riley for me, and helping me pick out presents or ultimately encouraging me choose to do what makes me happiest. She is the unknown reason I decided to come back here. I glance over my shoulder at her and wave innocently hoping she doesn't realize we're talking about her.

"I don't doubt that but isn't Riley concerned about ya two? Won't she think somethin' is going on 'ere?" He gestures in a circle the way he doesn't when he is trying to not be obvious. Riley, Maya, and I have all sat down and made it clear that there's nothing happening. Riley said she is happy for Maya and I. Maya had assured Riley and I that she is going to have fun, not to be a spy or a be a Riley-Replacement. And I told Riley and Maya I was only inviting her because it made the most sense and seemed like a great way to enjoy Christmas and the new year – Making fun of the Queen of Sarcasm. Everyone understood the circumstances of the invitation before we left. I smile at my father and assure him that it's not going to be like that while I am down here with Maya.

When we get to the edge of Austin I am introduced to the largest home I've ever seen. Perhaps I am from New York's downtown life and never thought large houses were real, but this home has to be the size of my entire apartment building. I'm still staring when Lucas' father, who introduced himself as Les - which apparently short for Lester, hollers loudly.

"Luke, she might not be your girlfriend but show the young lady some respect. Help the gal out of the truck, young man!" Lucas visibly drops his shoulders and pivots around to meet me face-to-face. I can't help grinning at him. I throw arms up dramatically and reply.

"Yes, Ranger Roy, help the fragile young lady out of the truck." As soon as I say it, though, his father says there'll be no name-calling on his ranch. Lucas arm pumps in victory before he comes over and offers his hand. I whip him around and crawl onto his back instead. He tries the shimmy me off but I hold tight, "The young lady wants a piggy back ride, Ranger _Luke_."

I can see he doesn't want to say 'yes' and he doesn't want to say 'no' either. So he just grabs all three suitcases while holding me on his back and carries me to the house. His father cocks and eyebrow at us when Lucas gets on the gigantic porch but he just points at his son. Lucas shakes his head before I jump down and pretend I didn't notice the exchange. It does assure me that his dad is worried about the same thing I was – that this looks just as bad as it feels for me.

"Grandma Nellie set a bed for your guest on the third floor. It has an en suite so that ya don't have to worry about someone catching ya in ya robes after bathin'. Luke, yer room is in the same place it's always been. I trust you can get yer guest here settled in?" When he opens the door and walks inside I notice that he changes out his dusty jacket for a cleaner blazer closer to something I expect Mr. Matthews to wear. I check the time on my phone and see yet another message from Riley asking if we landed yet. I pay no mind to it and see that it's only five o'clock in the afternoon. If he works a third shift retail job then he doesn't have to be there for a few more hours.

That's when Lucas says that he'll feel the livestock if his dad wants to start supper. I almost forgot that Riley told me 'supper' means 'dinner' in the southern states, and that 'dinner' actually means 'lunch' too. I step into the conversation just as Les wants to protest.

"Honestly, boys, I can manage on my own this evening. Thanks for the hospitality, Mr. Friar. I'll be back down in a couple of hours." I shake his hand after he reminds me to just call him Les from now on since I'll be around for two weeks. After I agree to do this Lucas throws his hand up in a mock wave as I find my upstairs to the guest room prepared for me. Once inside I close the door softly and call Riley.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Maya called me during dinner. Mom and Dad let me take a five minute break to talk to her, but they said to make a schedule that works better for us in New York. She reported to me that Lucas and his father are tending to livestock and working on dinner. She's planned to hole herself up for the first day or so while she takes in the beauty of the country. She thanked me for talking her into going, and I'm glad too. It's shady to have her keep tabs on Lucas but I want to know how he handles himself now that we've broken up._

_I know that it's selfish. Maya has told me several times that it feels wrong. She's friend with both of us so I get why she feels uncomfortable. I can't put my finger on it but I'm worried that I may have finally asked too much of Maya this time. She seems to shy away from the topic when I start talking about Lucas and it makes me feel very bad. It's childish of me and I'll have to try to be less vindictive about the questions and try to be friendlier over the next couple of weeks. I need to be worried about their well-being and the fun they are having. Not did Lucas cry about me today? Did he ask about me? It's not all about me._

_Anyway, I'm not feeling up to thinking anymore. It's been a long couple of days so I'm just going to call this entry quitsville for now. Mom told me that she wants to take me out for a Girls Only day to de-stress about the move and the break up. Mom doesn't take me out a lot now that we're both busy with different things. I need the break and I wanted to be rested for it._

_Riley _

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

My father and I are walking back from feeding the livestock. I come out twice a year to see him, usually at Spring Break and at the end of the summer before school started, the times of year where he really was busy and liked having the extra hands around the ranch. We did not talk about anything when we were out on the grounds, but once we got closer to the house he stops and grabs my shoulder.

"Now, Luke, I am really concerned about ya bringin' a different gal out here. I don't need to worry about yer – eh – activities, right?" As soon as he says it I push him back in surprise. Neither of my parents had ever felt the need to ever discuss _this_ topic with me. As soon as I do he sighs in what I think is relief.

"Come on, dad. Maya is not that type of person and neither am I. We're here as friends. Riley herself suggested that I invite Maya. We may not have the most conventional friendship, but we respect each other. Besides all that, I'm practically an adult now. The time for _that_ talk was a long time ago." I tell him with a sincere grin on my face. He seems settled by this because he starts off into the house again. Falling into the same routine I knew from my childhood we both kick our shoes off onto a sandy mat behind the back door. Then we wash out hands side-by-side, talking about the expectations for the coming season.

That's when we hear rustling in the dining room. Dad turns around first to confirm that it's only Maya, I follow suit out of need for confirmation. We smile at her as we catch her setting the table for three. I never noticed before but now I see how comfortable Maya seems to be homemaking. I guess I shouldn't be surprised by this since she is artistic and follows fashion trends closely, something that she does not openly admit to doing; these are all indicators of her ability to pay attention to fine details. I turn back to my father and lean in, "I'm going to go check on her."

"Take her for a walk, if ya fancy. I planned on preparing the meal alone tonight anyway. Again, I was expecting Riley so I thought you'd want some time to explore. I suppose Maya could still want that too, huh?" My dad is obviously still not very sure about Maya being there as a friend, but I do not hold it against him. He only ever had eyes for mom and never remarried. And his friends were usually the helping hands on ranch, and old college drinking buddies of course..

When I go up to Maya I place my hand in the lower part of her back. I can't really explain it but I thought it might comfort her. Or maybe I just felt the need to protect her from her own thoughts. That was the downfall for her, sometimes, is just thinking about something too long on her own and psyching herself out. Her head twists around at my but it isn't a whipped motion, so at least she isn't offended by the touch. I grin at her and look down at her weak smile.

"I know Riley and I are stressing you out, Maya. Do you want to get some fresh air? We can walk to the end of the road and back if you like, we'd get back just in time to eat." She looks over her shoulder at my dad. He is watching with raised brows, pretending to be cooking. When I look up she sort of busies himself, although not taking his eyes off of us. I am not at all surprised that she's waiting for his approval. When he waves to us to leave she walks to the front door ahead of me. She sets her cell phone on the small hutch before stepping out. I do the same. She turns to me and points into my chest and pokes me a couple of times.

"I am more stressed out about the way this looks than anything else. To hell with what you and Riley are putting in the middle of! Don't for a second think that if I'm being nice and having a good time that I am any less frustrated or observant. Understood, Hopalong?" She is trying so hard to be upset with me but I can tell she's settled her for now. I am willing to bet it was the view from the upstairs bedroom. I know what it looked like up there because it used to be the guest room for Grandma and Grandpa. We stopped using it after Mom and I moved to New York because their master bedroom because the guest room on the main floor, it was easier for my grandparents to access when they were visiting. I pull myself from my thoughts and focus on Maya's eyes which were fiery and defiant as she waited to see how I would react to her flagrant disregard for my dad's first rule.

"Don't make me tell on you, Maya Hart. No name calling." We linger for a moment before leaning into one another laughing. She grabs ahold of my shirt and drags me outside after her, groaning that she will eventually get under my skin. It had been years and she'd yet to really make me mad with her sarcastic banter. It was only a few hours into the trip but I knew that this would be a Christmas break to remember.


	5. Girl & Boy Go Out For Lunch

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl and Boy Go Out for Lunch

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

My Dad is sitting at the table reading yesterday's paper, one of his strange quirks, and tapping his foot. It is really quiet, but of course that has a lot to do with Maya ditching us at meal times. Riley had scheduled better times to call but they fall during each meal. So she skipped dinner on the first night we were here, and then she missed all three meals yesterday. My dad was asking if there was something going on that he should know about this morning and I was honest with him.

When I explained it all to him he just shook his said and mumbled about how being had changed so much and yet not at all since he was my age. I usually ignore his comments like that because it really seemed the most logical way to handle it. Anyway, after listening to tapping for fifteen minutes I smack my hand on the table and point at my dad. He's blinking at me in shock, or at least _mock_ shock.

"I've had enough of this call schedule." I growl in frustration. My dad gets a chuckle out of this and pouts at me.

"Ya go get'm, sonny. Ya tell'm who is boss 'round these parents, ya hear? Rile'm up real good." My father is laying the southern accent on thicker than usual. I smirk at him as I stand on my feet and wipe my hands, ensuring my chair is pushed in before I go, otherwise I'll be scrubbing the floors with a toothbrush.

As I stomp up the stairs I can hear Maya having a conversation with Riley, they seem to be chatting about the livestock. Maya is naming off the horses and the cows currently but I barge in without knocking and stop her midsentence. She glances back at me and pulls the phone a little ways away from her cheek, "Go away, cowboy, I'm on the phone."

I drop my jaw at how rude she is being. It is hardly surprising or offensive, but she is also a guest in my family's home. How she is behaving is discourteous and I decide it's time for drastic measures. It may have only been our third day there, but I wasn't spending then next nine days putting up with this stuff. I march over to her while she is telling Riley, "Oh, it's just Lucas. He came in without knocking for some reason…"

And that's when I grab her phone and throw it on the bed. Maya smacks me in the chest and insults me using some pretty foul language, but I grab her by her waist and throw her over my shoulder. She is kick and screaming just like in the movies, only she's saying "Riley, he's kidnapping me – hang up the phone! I'll call you later!"

As I walk past my dad who now has his feet propped up on the desk he pulls out cell phone and manages to snap a picture of me carrying Maya out of the house. On my way out the door I grab the black sandals she left under the hutch and bid my dad farewell. He is laughing but I know he means 'goodbye' between his howls. Maya eventually goes limp and just waits for an explanation after I drop her in the passenger seat of my dad's beater pick-up.

When I buckle her into the seat I finally realize what she's wearing. I've seen Maya in more revealing clothes before, I've seen her in bikinis actually. However, when I see that she is dressed in overalls that have very short shorts on them and a cow print sports bra I am speechless. Her hair is tied in a messy ball on top of her head, which Riley often said is a "fashion bun" because messy is "sexy." It would be very wrong for me to disagree, but Maya does look strangely alluring right now. I shake myself and reposition my eyes on her face, which is so fed up with me that she can't even blink.

"I am impressed, Lucas Friar, I did not expect you to be so assertive. Riley said she had to ask why you wouldn't _rub_ on her when you make out." She takes a personal shot at me. It is also an uncomfortable subject. Riley had many times asked me when I would be "alright" moving to the "next level." I always told her we were too young to talk about that yet. She always agreed but now when Maya is taking a blow at me I kind of feel like I was missing out on something important.

"That - " I start mumbling, but I find my voice soon after the pause I take, " – is completely irrelevant! Anyway, I am tired of this schedule you've got with Riley. I'm taking you out for lunch without your cell phone. You've been spending more time on that stupid device than spending time with me."

As soon as I say this, I hang my head low into the steering wheel because I know what Maya is beginning to say. And when the words finally come out of her mouth I find myself chuckling over her words.

"I didn't know you cared so much, Ranger." Maya puts her hand on my thigh and I tense. She does not usually make soft contact with me. I am surprised that I do not find it strange or displeasing. I glance over at her and see she's moved on as soon as she pulls away.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Lucas has excused himself to the restroom. He's spilled syrup from the hot cakes breakfast he ordered all over his shirt. So I am sitting by myself. That is when Lucas' cell phone buzzes. He has been texting on it off and on during the meal during the "silences" that were popping up as we chewed. Since I have nothing to do I decide to snoop. The messages are from Riley and I can hardly breathe as I am reading them…

**Riley: Why did you take Maya's phone away?**

**Me: Because she's ignoring us for your phone calls.**

**Riley: That's good.**

**Riley: As long as you're not rebounding to her.**

**Me: That's not why Maya is here and we both know that.**

**Riley: I was just joking. I know you don't like Maya that way.**

As I am readingall of this I press my free hand to my chest. I have overstepped my boundaries and place it in exactly the same place I had taken it from. I am suddenly less hungry and push my plate away from me. To occupy my hands I decide to start tugging the edge of my overalls and pray that Lucas returns soon. Thankfully, the waitress actually returns and takes the empty plates. I ask her for a refill on my milkshake. She smiles politely and hurries off to get it. In the meantime, Lucas returns with a wet spotted shirt free of syrup. He checks his phone immediately and taps out a message. I want to know what it says but I also know that it is not my place.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

**Riley: But, honestly, be careful with how you act.**

**Riley: If you act flirty with her she'll go off on you.**

**Me: That's not even relevant.**

**Riley: I just know how being a gentleman might look.**

**Riley: Sorry.**

**Me: We broke up. We agreed on it.**

**Riley: I know.**

**Me: Can we not talk about relationship stuff?**

**Riley: Sorry…**

**Riley: Yes.**

**Riley: Sorry… again**

**Me: I've got to go. Taking Maya to the mall..**

I don't want a damn thing to do with Riley Matthews right now. Honestly, she's been texting me off and on while she's been texting Maya too. Riley is a wonderful girl but she's so confusing right now. She's keeping tabs on me by trying to talk about our feelings inadvertently, and then she's directly asking Maya how I'm handling the break up. Am I upset about it? Am I flirting with other girls? Am I going out every night? Or am I sleeping in every day and staying in bed when I am awake.

It is frustrating because I know it's not like Riley to be this way about anything. It's not secret that she doesn't handle break ups well, even if she is the one who makes the decision. The girl cares about everyone but sometimes she can't see what's best for everyone without making it weird for those around her. And this break up is clearly no exception, but I can't help but feel as though she's being excessive. I turn my phone off and push it into my pocket while Maya seems to be staring down the waitress who is chatting with another teenager at the counter.

As I watch her ignore me I think over the conversation I was having with Riley. She does have a point, though, when she says I have to be careful how I'm approaching Maya in many ways. I know she will poke fun at me every chance she gets, which is normal, but I always want to behave like adults while we are down here. This is a good opportunity to really bond with Maya and embrace the strange yet strong friendship that we've had all these years.

"So I was thinking we should go shopping." I say, taking the last few bites of my hotcakes. This brings Maya's attention back to me immediately. I know she does not mind shopping, even though she pretends to hate it. She must see that _I see_ right through her charades because her shoulders sink down and a smile creeps up at the corners of her lips.

"Anything specific, or are you just trying to make sure I can't pay my rent?" Maya jokes with me, but I know for a fact that Mrs. Matthews negotiated the lease at her apartment. The terms allow for her to have a fair amount of expendable income so that her 'quality of life' was not compromised. Also, I am pretty sure Maya has taken up a couple of extra sessions lately so that she could save up for presents.

"I wanted to get you a new bathing suit, as a thank you for joining me. Besides, I want to go to the beach later. It's a long drive to get where I'm wanting to go, though, so we'd better get scootin' in a minute here." I tell her calmly. I find her losing interest again which causes me to question my idea to take her swimming. I know Maya has only ever gone swimming in chlorine pools so I was hoping she would be excited. So I tap my fingers on the table to see if she focuses back on me.

She does, which is moderately satisfying. As she replays what she's heard in her head I watch her go from thoughtful to appreciative.

"I have a bathing suit, already, so you don't need to…" That's when she sees I am having none of her modesty, so she changes her tune a bit, "…unless you're sure it will make you feel fulfilled as a man."

I lift myself from the booth and step over to her side to prevent her from getting out on her own. Maya stacks everything nicely, a habit she developed a long time ago in hopes of pleasing her mother. I feel bad for her as I recall all the unfortunate things she has faced in her young life. I am instantly grateful I have not been in similar situations. I offer my arm as I mull through my personal thoughts. She surprises me when she accepts without any form of sarcasm or banter.

I don't let myself check her face as we leave, but I feel like she's smiling as wide as I am. I sort of hope that she is, elsewise I am going to look a tad ridiculous.

* * *

><p>Author's Update:<p>

First things first, apologies. I actually had this chapter written four days ago shortly after I posted the other chapters. But I just bought a house and have been moving all week. I've also been without internet for several days. I'm sorry it took so long and that I don't have more of an update for you.

HOWEVER, the second piece will please those of you lovely people who keep encouraging me to continue this story.

I've actually outlined the rest of this fan fiction. I've outlined for 12 or 13 more chapters. I think I'll be able to keep my T rating too, which I know tends to make people happier because then it means characters don't have to be taken OOC too much. I know that pleases me, at least.

My personal goal is to try to post 2-3 chapters a week. I've got it outlined so if I take a day or two I can easily achieve this. Each chapter should be between 2,000 and 4,000 words - just so you know what to expect. However, some chapters will be longer and some will be shorted. I'm trying not to exceed 5,000 words per chapter, though. Anyway, continue leaving reviews. They brighten my dreary office job significantly. It reminds me why I wake up every morning and what I want to eventually do with my life :)


	6. Girl Goes to the Beach

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl Goes to the Beach

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

So, yesterday, we were unable to go to the beach yesterday because one of the horses was ill? I don't know actually what was wrong, but Lucas had to get a veterinarian out to the farm to tend to it. We rescheduled the beach trip to today, but only after Lucas' friend Conner agreed to watch the livestock for the day.

Lucas left early this morning to go pick up this Conner fellow so I was dining with Mr. Les Friar. He reminded me a few minutes ago to call him Les. So instead of actually doing it I'm avoiding starting any kind of conversation.

"So how are ya enjoying yer stay here?" he asks me.

I know that I can't pretend now that I've not heard him. Lucas is not here so I look up to him and choose the only approach that I know I can execute properly and flawlessly: _sarcastic_.

"Well – I've been avoiding all human contact for a few days so I guess that's pretty awesome. Otherwise, you a fantastic cook and the heat here is actually much dryer than I expected." My reply does rouse a snicker from him, so I am happy with myself. He repositions himself after I speak so that he can watch me during out conversation, "I also like being in the country. It's refreshing to be away from all the busy lives of thousands of other people. I see why Lucas wants to come back."

I am glancing up periodically at Mr. Friar and notice that he's shifting from one position to another very rapidly. I do not know what it is I've said but I take my napkin and wipe the corners of my mouth. I start to ask if Mr. Friar is alright but he starts on what I know immediately is about to be a bit of a monologue.

"Shelia, Lucas' mother, was exactly the same way. She kept saying she needed air from somewhere else away from the city. Shelia just wanted away from all the hustle and bustle so that she could enjoy the little things in life unlike many of her friends and counterparts. Unfortunately, I got her out on the ranch much too late into her life. She never got attached to the life here the way she was attached to her childhood lifestyle." He keeps swiping up underneath his nose. I recognize his tactic because I do it very often when I think about my mom and my own childhood. He's trying to remain strong because he didn't meant to start telling me all about his ex-wife but he couldn't take it back. I sympathize with him and reach out my hand as an offer of comfort. He reaches over and taps me lightly.

"I guess I can understand but I don't really attach myself to anything in particular. I rely on myself and the stability I can find in my life, so New York is nothing to me but a place to live. Love what you already have, not what isn't yours, am I right, Les?" The way I am speaking reminds me of a sort of pep talk that Mrs. Matthews gave me once when I was feeling down and out about the responsibility of emancipation. Les grins at me and shakes his head.

"You're a tough kid, Maya Hart. I am sorry that I lost myself for a moment there. Although, your words are inspiring, and I thank you for them." Soon after that Lucas and his friend Conner are pulling back up. I am not sure that they should already be back but Les assures me that Conner only lives ten minutes away. I try to recall when they left but before I can Lucas and Conner are inside and sitting down at the table. I glance up at Conner momentarily but do not digest his appearance. I excuse myself to change clothes upstairs and get away as quickly as possible.

When I do return downstairs, Conner and Lucas are sitting in the stairwell chatting about something personal. I overhear Lucas saying he doesn't know what he feels like right now. I assume instantly I'm hearing something out of context and throw it out of my memory. Since I don't want to hear anything else not intended for my ears, I jostle around and stomp loudly as I approach them. They both jump up when they hear me and stand up at the bottom of the steps. I place my hands on my hips and stare them down playfully.

"What are ya'll talkin' bout down here?" I try the southern accent but it is clearly terrible so I decide not to continue on with it. As I wait for a response, Lucas is clearly stuttering to come up with a proper lie, I get a chance to look Conner over. Lucas never was as good as I was about it, but I'm sure Riley did nothing for his 'exaggeration' skills. I am thankful for this now as I identify Conner as a city-like boy. His hair is bleached blonde and spiked into a faux hawk; he was wearing fancy basketball sneakers; skinny jeans; and some name brand polo with the strange symbol on the breast pocket. He looks about as hipster as any country boy could ever hope to be, and I relate to this to a degree. I feel at ease with him.

"Conner is having girl problems." Lucas states. Look at Conner who is so straight faced that it gives away the falsity in my Ranger's statement. I jokingly push Lucas aside and rub my shoulder against Conner.

"Well, cowboy, just follow your heart." I joke. Lucas scoffs behind me and I know he understands that I was trying to allude that my last name is Hart and that he should follow me. It is a joke, though, and I know that I have no real interest in Conner. In fact, I'm open enough with myself to recall that I've had a long-time crush on Lucas. When I wink at Conner he seems to understand I'm just pulling his friend's strings.

Seconds later I am waving good-bye to Conner and Les with Lucas by my side at the front door. I keep opening my mouth and glancing over at him hoping that I'll think of something to say. Usually I have no problem striking up a conversation with Lucas but I cannot shake this feeling that things are different right now. Instead of continuing on like this I choose to just keep to myself.

Lucas turns the radio on when he sees me ignoring him. I keep messing with the dial to find something good, but it's all country. As I grow increasingly bored with it, the more frequently I begin turning the nobs and pressing buttons and shifting and it just goes on and on. Lucas has to put his hand over mine and stop me. He turns everything off and starts chatting with me.

"So Conner is right up your alley, right? He looks like your type." Lucas remarks. I laugh out loud at him and turn my entire body to face him, showing that I will have this conversation with him and take it seriously. I see him shift a little too proving the intimacy of his interest. He actually is paying attention and storing the details. I am scared to remind him of the truth but he's my friend and I do trust him.

"Well I've never had a proper boyfriend, so I don't know that I really have a type. I've never really been on a date, either." Even as I say the words I know how pathetic I sound. Lucas doesn't laugh at me but I know he is trying to counter me. He is currently recalling every time I've introduced a boy to him and Riley and trying to identify if I called any of them my boyfriend or my date. He won't find any, though, and as he realizes this he drops his jaw to apologize but I raise my hand at him, "It's sad, I know, but it is my burden to carry."

Lucas grins at me and shakes his head. I think that he's about to drop the topic but he looks at me as he makes a right turn.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

"But a guy like Conner would be your type. He's a city boy, too, in case you couldn't tell." I shouldn't be asking this because I just broke up with Riley. This is flirting and I know it's flirting, but with Maya it doesn't feel that way. I don't know if I mean it to really be that way. Yet here I am saying it and longing for her to respond to me. Maya is important and she's such a close friend to me. I just want to spend this time with her properly. So I have to talk about something and the only image of the trip so far that I can't escape is the way she looked Conner up and down in the stairwell.

"He might be a city boy but that doesn't mean he's my type, Sundance. He's handsome, I suppose, but I don't look at guys like that right now. I just want to buy groceries next week and graduate high school. I can worry about relationships when I don't have the extra stress. Besides, Riley has enough relationship drama for both of us…" She pauses and covers her mouth as she trails off. I can see she think that she believes that she's said something that hurts my feelings, "…which you know because you guys just broke up."

She makes a gesture at me and I shake it off. I tell her I'm not worried about and that I'm honestly over the break up and the relationship. She doesn't believe me completely, but she does admit that I've been keeping everything together much better than she expected. Maya may be brash and honest and bold, but let it never be said that she isn't considerate. This is one of those Maya Hart traits that I am always impressed and appreciative to experience.

I explain to Maya at some point that Conner's parents are markets and travel a lot for work. He is originally from Chicago but they moved down to Texas when he went into college. Maya is quiet and listening genuinely, or at least it seems this way. In no time I find that I've really told her all about Conner's road to his freshman year in college. I catch myself carrying on and on but I finally just pull over and stop myself. We're on the very edge of the beach area, so I figure we don't need to go all the way down another two miles for the "prime swimming hole."

As we walk up to the beach she asks about my parents. She says that my father mentioned his relationship briefly with mom. I tell her how attached he was and how devastated that he still is about the entire divorce. He offered her the world to stay so I feel so bad for him because she ultimately decided to leave anyway. I don't judge mother for making her decision because at the end of the day we have to do what makes us happiest.

I find myself speaking out of term, which I know is a weakness I get from my father. I can't stop it and the words just call out of my mouth as I'm laying the large blanket in the sand with the bag, "I hope that someone loves me the way he loved her someday. I can't think of anything being more gratifying than that."

My eyes trace from Maya's feet to her face as she stands looking down upon me. The sun is behind her and it enhances her blonde hair and her ocean blue eyes. In her white wash shorts and oversized sweatshirt she looks like a natural on the beach. I can't help but check for a surfboard or something because she clearly just belongs here. I almost don't hear her when she replies to me.

"Me too. I haven't seen many good examples of romance other than Mr. and Mrs. Matthews. And if we're really honest here, that are a special kind of romance that could only work with them." She throws in the sarcasm to distract from the fact that she's being just as serious as I am, and I know this because I do it a lot too. I shrug my shoulders and find myself mumbling in agreement. She offers to unpack some snacks so that I can go change into my suit behind a rock. I accept leave her behind with the silence that she seems to be clinging to so far today.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

For the last hour I've been watching Lucas pick up various interesting sea floor items and try to convince me to get into the water to check them out. I am not going to lie because I am sort of terrified of a shark or an eel or a manta ray. All of those creatures exist in the ocean and that's frightening. Yes, that's a lot of danger and even though I know I could get mugged or attacked every night that I walk home from the subway or from a cab, the ocean is a new kind of danger that I can't say whether or not I'm ready to deal with yet.

Lucas seems to make that decision for me. He comes out of the water soaking wet and beelines straight for me. I am slow to react, though, for reasons I'm not sure even I understand. But he does his number again and picks me up around the waist and carries me out into the water. I am not kicking and screaming so much as holding on and begging him to please, please, please take me back to shore. He insists that he cannot do such a thing, which only makes me hold on tighter and beg louder. Finally, I seem to get my message through to him because my toes at starting to splash in the water and he stops moving. He loosens up and says, "alright then."

I know instantly that he's fooled me. In my mind it feels like slow motion, but it all happens in very real time. Lucas collapses and brings me underwater with him. Once under I open my eyes and try to identify him. I make sure I am still holding onto him when I surface. He's laughing from the get-go and it almost irritates me. Absent-mindedly I begin pushing my hair from my cheeks and forehead. When I meet his gaze I feel myself weaken and remember why it was that I had a crush on him in the first place. I don't have enough time to avoid him when he leans in and pulls me into a friendly hug. I slowly return the gesture and listen to him as he comments on the fiasco.

"Even though you'd never admit it out loud – the country life really suits you." As I pull back I try to hold back a laugh by sucking my lips in and biting down. When I can't decide what to say I bounce my focus from the person's face to the person's hands. Lucas senses this and scrunches his nose at me. His hand is soon cupping my cheek and lightly tapping it only a second later, the way I expect a father might do to a daughter or a brother to a sister. But certainly not a boy to a girl he likes. I shouldn't be thinking about it that way so I recoil from his touch. "You wear it well, too."

For a second we both relax and move in perfect motion with the waves. A large one whips me into Lucas' chest. His reflexes are flawless and he grabs my shoulders to prevent me from slipping underwater. There's tension building again, but it's not an uncomfortable tension. I assume I'm imagining it as I recall the messages he shared with Riley at the restaurant. Self-consciously I back away and challenge Lucas to a race. He obliges but moves more quickly than I could ever hope to go having never been in "earth water" before. When I finally reach the shore Lucas tells me that if I don't at least spend an hour in the water we'll be camping out on the beach until I have done so. He's joking but I can't help but appreciate this level of integrity. If Lucas was nothing else he would still be persistent.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry that wasn't a flashier ending. I'd written it one way and didn't like the opening so I redid it when I typed it up. It didn't offer the same Segway that the first idea offered. I think this turned alright, though, didn't it? Maybe I'm just being hopeful.


	7. Girl Meets Reality

A/N: This whole chapter is from Maya's POV, just so you know. This is a substantial chapter, it actually brings forward the entire 'plot' of the story for all you lovely Lucaya/Laya shippers :)

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Meets Reality

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

There's a stirring outside of my window. I want to go back to sleep but I can hear someone tapping his or her foot and it is really irritating. I throw my sheets off and pay no mind to the fact that I am still in my bathing suit. When I open the sliding door to the balcony I peer to the left and see Conner sitting on the railing. My eyes find the horizon and the sun is barely up. My body must have known this because it is weak and tired.

"You probably don't get up this early in the city, do ya? Or maybe you can't really tell when it's this early." I groan at him and walk up to him with no particular reason to do so. I look him dead on and shrug my shoulders.

"So are you a professional stalker or were you just so dazzled by me yesterday that you couldn't wait to see me again?" Farkle is the only one who best my flirting, or at least I contend that I can flirt with the best of them. Farkle is the best of them, I think. I don't really mean to be flirting with him but it happens so naturally than I can't really tell if I'm being flirty anymore or if I just sass everyone I meat with a pretty smile on my dumb face. Either way I just wait for his response.

"Actually, you've been out cold since Lucas carried you in last night. His dad wanted some help getting some groceries and running errands so they left first thing. They should be back soon so don't you worry yourself sick, now." Conner does not seem like the type to pay direct attention to anyone he speaks to because he's focusing on the trees and bushes below. I follow his gaze instead of gratifying him with my offense and curiosity.

"Still doesn't tell me why you're here, city boy." I say it more like "ssitaaay booooyeee." He laughs at my drawl and actually shoves me a little bit. I take this a friendly initiation that shows me he's happy to keep me company. But that's when he says Lucas asked him to 'keep me safe' while he was out. I assure Conner instantly that I do not need protecting. He agrees on the basis that I live alone in an apartment in New York City.

I make a joke about how annoying Lucas can be at times. I start smiling when Conner says that he's always been a little too proper and too nice to the point of irritating others. As I laugh at this he puts an arm around my shoulders unexpectedly and just sighs in a laughing howl sort of way. It startles me but not more than what my brain finally hears him saying.

"You just love it though, don't you, city girl?" Even though I haven't told anyone that I did still have feelings for Lucas after all these years, I find that before I can convince myself not to say anything about it the words are falling from my mouth.

When Riley laid her claim years ago I had learned to ignore my attraction to Lucas. Whenever I felt something that made me want to flirt with him or when things got a little too close, I always had to remind myself he was for Riley. It took several years before it happened but I knew that it would _eventually_ happen. I end finally by saying that the way I feel is basically pointless since he's moving soon.

"Notice that you said you can do anything about it because he's coming back to Texas in the summer and not that it would ruin your friendship." Conner calls me out for not saying what was exactly on my mind. I look back at my paintings that were just sitting in the shade wanting to be adored by someone other than myself. I walk over and start picking them up to hang on the walls inside.

"Well that's obviously the reason that I've never acted on my feelings before, but now I have a second reason to not pursue Lucas. Riley would hate me and even if I could somehow woo Lucas into liking me back it wouldn't matter because he'd be moving away immediately." I have never been able to be open about my feelings so I shock myself when I hear bitterness and frustration in my voice. Conner seems unsurprised, though, because he comes over and takes my pictures away from me to look at more closely.

"Lucas won't take as much convincing as you think." He remarks at me.

I feel my insides turn to jelly. But I'm not totally sure its out of happiness.

Nope, I am fairly certain it is out of fear.

Conner starts into my bedroom and sets down the pictures on a nearby dressed, continuing his thoughts as he moves, "He's been preparing to break up with Riley since he decided to move back here. He called me and asked how he should end the relationship."

I've never been a flurry of emotions in the way that I am now. Usually I experience similar emotions simultaneously: anger, frustration, irritation, disappointment, and so on. But right now I am pissed off; I am flattered; I am ashamed; I am stunned; and more than anything I am just confused. Riley and Lucas have been _the_ star couple of our class for so long. I could never imagine one of them not wanting to be in the relationship anymore. Especially these last few months when it was beginning to look like Lucas was going to propose to Riley in hopes of marrying her before she left for college or something. I am taken aback so much that when I see Riley is calling me that I am ignoring it and push the phone into my sock drawer so I won't answer in a few minutes when she calls me back.

"I don't think you should be worried about the fact that Lucas was preparing to leave as you should about how angry she's going to be when she finds out her best friend wants to date her ex-boyfriend who incidentally also her other best friend." I slap him instinctively. He did not need to make me feel worse. But I find myself reaching up and hugging him even though he's hurt my feelings. He's only speaking truthfully and it is exactly what I would do if I were on the other side of the issue. I apologize softly but he disregards it. Before I know it we can hear Lucas and his dad downstairs laughing.

When I step out Lucas drops his bags and asks if I slept well. I apologize for not being decent in front of his dad, but he just waves it off and heads back out for the next round. Conner starts whistling and then takes his phone out. I unconsciously grab it and look at the text message he was preparing. I see that it is for Lucas and I guess instantly what he was going to type. I put the phone inside of the vase on my left side. Lucas cocks an eyebrow straight up but pivots without another word. As soon as he's gone I glare at Conner who chuckles.

I make my way outside and offer to help carry in a bag or two. Lucas is already making his way back with the last bags. As he passes he says that Conner offered to finish his chores so that he could have a lazy day. My eyes snap to him as he says he's going to hole up in the den. I am hurt that he doesn't invite me but as soon as I feel a bit of heartache he flashes his signature jokester smile at me, nonverbally noting that I am welcome.

As soon as Conner and Lucas start talking about the chores he has left Les comes up behind me and strikes up a conversation.

"Conner didn't harass ya too much while me and the boy were out, did he? Conner has a rough idea of courteous." Les says softly. I offer to take a couple items from him and start walking with him up to the porch. I have more free hands so I open the screen door, telling him that Conner and I just chatted about Lucas.

I tell him that Conner was giving me a hard time but nothing too crazy.

"Oh, that Conner is in school for this Sociology and Psychology brain study stuff. Had a few bad experiences and felt the need to understand why people do things and since he started studying two years ago he's learned to read people better than he reads words, it seems." Les tells me a little more information about Conner, but it's not significant enough for me to worry too much. I just keep the light air going.

"He read me pretty well. Must be all that book learnin'" I joke with Les. It is the only thing that he seems to really crack a smile about. I know he's a hard working man so I don't take it personally, but it is gratifying when I can make him smile.

"Well, young lady, reading you ain't too hard to do. I see it in your eyes clearly, Miss Hart." Les requires me to call him by his first name, yet here he calls me Miss. This mostly bothers me but the rest of my mind is focused on the tiny detail. Well, it should be a tiny detail, but apparently it is glaringly obvious to everyone around me. I get a little panicky and just shout.

"Come _on,_ I can_not_ be _that_ obvious!" I declare. Somehow, this elicits the most reaction out of Les. He checks around the corner and then when he sees the backdoor open he realizes that Lucas must have taken Conner outside for a moment. Then he replies to me almost silently.

"You look at him the way I look at Shelia. Ain't nothin' more obvious than that." He says.

I cannot resist the urge to get very close to him as he's ringing his dusty fingers off in the sink. I keep my gaze down and try to set him straight the way I've told Conner off earlier, "Regardless of all that… I just can't do anything about it. He's sort of 'off limits' since he's dated Riley."

As Les dries his hands I watch him glancing around the back of the ranch to check on Lucas and Conner. When he sets the towel down he suddenly remembers that the truck bed is down. He asks me to go close it, but not before he gives me on final piece of information.

"Ya might want to let Lucas that he's 'off limits' 'cause I don't think he knows." As I am walking outside I feel butterflies welling up in my stomach. I allow myself to be very excited about Conner and Les basically telling me that Lucas has somehow hinted to them that he's attracted to me. This is fantastic news to any girl who has a crush on anyone. That person likes you back. That is supposed to be the best news in the entire world to a girl my age. Somehow, though, I find that my butterflies turn to nausea quickly. Before I can even slow down I start vomiting everywhere? My nerves are all over and I can hardly process what is happening.

I'm lying under some brush who-knows-where. After I started puking a few hours ago I raced away from the ranch as quickly as possible. When I found this lovely groove off the side of a road that leads to the highway I crashed. I took another nap, too, just so that I didn't have to think about the information I've obtained.

It wasn't even true yet, not even confirmed, that Lucas liked me and it was breaking me down. Also, I tried to wrap my mind around everything. We've only been in Texas for five days. That is surely not enough time to realize that you are attracted to someone you've known for years. I shake my head and bring myself into a semi-upright position. As I find myself calming down and accepting the gravity situation I roll around until I'm on flat ground and ready to stand up.

That's when Conner yowls at me. He's parked with Lucas in the truck a ways down the road. I throw my palm against my forehead hard and immediately assume that they've found me while I was sleeping. I jog to them and crawl in the middle of the cab. Lucas drives and Conner sits humming on my right side. I make sure I don't make eye contact with either of them as they take turns condemning me for taking off like a "bat out of hell."

Conner pretends to not know why, but Lucas is obviously unsure of the cause. When I'm allowed, yes I mean granted permission; to speak for myself the only thing I can come up with is that I started thinking about her mom. Lucas tells me that I can lie if I want but I can't just run away. He makes me promise to talk to him next time I'm feeling panicked. I agree but I don't really mean to keep to it.

When we get back to the house Conner goes around the house while Lucas escorts me in, taking me directly to Les who is ripping weeds out of his tiny garden. Les tells me not to run away again and that next time he'll put me on a plane back to New York. Lucas asks me if I am pleased with myself but I just apologize to Les again who nods and tells me to go clean up.

I shower in cold water. Then I slip into sweats and a black tee. I grab my phone from the sock drawer and see that I have dozens of missed calls. However, I only have one voicemail left. I clear everything in my call history and listen to the voicemail as I go downstairs to meet Lucas in the den to enjoy what's left of his 'lazy' day.

_"Maya. Golly, Maya. I just need you to pick up and tell me you're okay. Lucas has called three or four times now and I can hear him punching a wall in the background. Maya, do you understand? He's physically punching something. He never does that. We are all worried sick about you and if you don't tell me that you're okay my mom and dad are going to fly down there to punish you themselves! You call me right back, Maya Hart. You do it right now."_

I hang up my phone after I get to the den where I catch Lucas in a phone call with none other than Riley Matthews. He says that I've come down now and that we are going to watch some old horror flicks to start the evening. I hear Riley start to say 'I love you' and then catch herself. As soon as they end their call, Lucas comes right up to me and hugs me tight. It's a genuine sort of hug, one I recognize from when I was in the hospital after they told me I was being diagnosed with "anorexia nervosa." He held me so tight the day after they admitted me that I almost thought he cared more about me than the entire world. That's how this hug feels now.

I feel my eyes stinging but I am the master of hiding my feelings. As I am hugging back, I feel my sarcasm leak out of my mouth easier than I breathe; "You're wasting good movie time, Hopalong. The only thing I want to feel from you is the squeezing of your hand on my shoulder as you cry because the scary monster made you piss your pants a little."

* * *

><p>AN: And this isn't even the most squee-worthy chapter I have planned ;);)


	8. Girl at the Rodeo Ranch

This wouldn't be a good fan fiction if it wasn't angst-ridden at times, right? This chapter is your daily dose of mindless and addictive angst (or at least I hope achieve that level, anyway). Read on, you lovely loverly person :)

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Goes to the Rodeo

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Today I went to dinner with Auggie while mom and dad were cleaning the carpets and tiles in the apartment. While we were dining the waiter kept coming over and flirting with me. It was so obvious that Auggie said something when he went to put their dessert order in – "Are you going to flirt back or what?" At first I was stunned that he'd think I was ready to flirt with anyone since Lucas and I have been broken up for three weeks. But the more I think about it the more I realize that the waiter is cute._

_Also, I don't feel like Lucas and I might get back together now. For the first week I was convinced that I'd imagined the break up entirely. However, after he went to Texas with Maya I've realized that clearly there's no chance of us getting back together. Maya told me countless times that if I am going to get together with him again it will be in the future, but definitely not right now. And I'm alright with that. So…_

_I flirted with the waiter. His name is Derrick. And I've got his phone number._

_When I called Maya about it she said she couldn't talk for very long because she was getting ready to leave with Les, Lucas, and Conner. I asked her about Conner but she diffused immediately. She said that Conner may be a city boy because not really her type. I joked with Maya that she didn't have a type of man to which she groaned and said she was going to hang up. She did hang up because I didn't stop harassing her._

_ But then I called Lucas. When he answered his friend Conner asked why his date was calling him when she was upstairs. Lucas swore, which is very uncommon, and assured me that Conner was just trying to rile him up before the rodeo. I told Lucas to keep an eye on Maya, make sure she didn't put her drink down, and to make extra sure that she took tons of pictures in her cowgirl clothes. Lucas promised to post pictures on QuikPiks later than tonight._

_ He did post one already of him hugging Maya from behind. Maya was dressed just like she'd be dressed for a party here: tie dye shirt dress, black jeggings, and ankle boots. Her hair was actually pulled up into a top knot, which was dressier than Maya typically would get to leave the house for something she didn't care about. She was laughing and Lucas was looking down his nose at her form the side. It was a very real moment and it sort of concerned me._

_ I am over Lucas, really I am. I loved him a bunch. I never doubted him and never thought he was lying to me or keeping secrets. But the way he was looking at Maya in the picture is making wonder if there's something I've missed with him. I'm worried about secrets now…_

_Am I wrong to be worried?_

_Riley 3_

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I'm leaning against the gates separating the crowd from the riders. I can see Les and Conner chatting in the competitors box. Conner waves with great exaggeration that I overhear someone ask if I am his date. I laugh but I don't respond to questioning voice. Besides, the possibility of it is squashed when Lucas comes up from behind me with lemonade and a sunflower. I take it from him and raise it to my nose so I can feel the petals against my skin. When I blink Lucas snaps a couple of shots.

"Riley told you to take lots of pictures to make sure that I'm alright, didn't she?" I observe, and obviously question him. He sips his lemonade and then jumps next to me and takes a selfie of the both of us. I am sure I look positively disinterested in the picture. When I turn to glower at him he takes another shot. I raise my hand to his cheek and push him, but he steps closer to me while taking another shot. I swipe his phone and find myself caught up in a huge from him.

"She did ask me to take pictures, but I just want something to remember all of this with, you know?" Lucas gestures to all of me when he pulls away. We find ourselves so quiet that both of us seem to have forgotten there were people around us. We are hovering very close to each other, smiles fading in and out of our expressions as we catch each other's gaze. When I finally pull away he swipes the sunflower from my fingers and tucks it into the left side of my bun. I choose to take a selfie of it so that I can paint the picture later when I can't sleep.

After what feels like hours, Lucas asks me, "So what's the verdict?"

I conclude for him in the only way I can think, "It's like watching Youtube except that the video quality is pristine and the sound quality is impeccable."

Lucas sneaks his arm around my waist and presses his lips to my ear. I shiver under his touch, I know that I do, but he must not care or notice. He keeps speaking without noting it at all.

"Spoken like a true city girl. But I like that about you." I am momentarily paralyzed. Lucas very clearly and deliberately flirted with me. I could not have mistaken that comment for flirting because it was intentionally flirty. That was a flirt. It stuns me. I can't respond so I just giggle. Oh god, I am giggling. I am giggling at him and it's a type of flirting. Girls nervously _giggle_ when they can't verbally flirt back. When the girly sound stops we return to just watching this rodeo competition.

Person after person goes up and does his or her roping and, or, riding. Even though I don't understand the purpose of it I am very amused by all of this. Lucas commentates everything so I spend a lot of my time just watching his mouth and straining to hear his voice in the crowd. After Les and Conner do their potion, there's a bonfire on the edge of the ranch so Lucas says he'll meet up with me after he walks his dad to the truck.

Quite some time passes before I see Lucas again. I got lost in the crowd when I went for a lemonade refill. When I do find him again he's on the ground wrestling Conner. Since my mind is stuck on repeat, anxiously analyzing everything Lucas has done tonight, I seek out someone who is giving away mixed lemonade drinks. I get alcoholic lemonade and wander off on my own, thinking intensely.

I am perfectly aware that I should not be wandering off on my own while overthinking things with drink that I am too young to even have to begin with anyway. But I am doing it. There's more alcohol than lemonade in my cup and I can feel it almost immediately, but I figure it doesn't matter. By the time I'm done with my glass I'll be easier going and maybe less thoughtful, right? I know it is wrong to drink to get rid of thoughts and feelings but it surely is not the worst thing I could be doing right now. Right?

I'm right. I can think of at least ten other things much worse than this. Yes I can.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

When I found Conner he told me that Maya was getting a drink and was supposed to be right back. Well, I've been wrestling and wandering around with him for an hour. Maya turned her phone off due to a low battery shortly after my dad did his run through, so I couldn't just call her or text her to get a location. I start asking if anyone has seen her, pulling my phone out and revealing the background. She sticks out like a sore thumb around her so I'm positive someone has to have seen her.

It takes a dozen or so people before I find someone sober enough to recall seeing her. The girl that recognizes her only does because she gave her a spiked drink earlier in the evening. She pointed me just south of the property line near a tree line. I do not waste time and push my phone into my pocket. I start off jogging but find myself sprinting out of anticipation. I am greatly relieved when five minutes later when I'm stopping at her side. She looks so lonely and sad lying on the ground staring up at the stars.

"Are you ready to go home or something?" I ask as I lay down next to her. She turns her head to me, a grin tickling the edges of her pink lips. Her blue eyes are almost glowing under the bright moon but I'm glad that they are looking at me instead of at the sky now. I can see that she's here and that she's paying attention to me the way I suddenly realize I want them to be…

"I may never be ready to go, cowboy." When Maya speaks her voice is so breathy that I wonder if she meant to keep those words behind her teeth. I don't dare hope for a context on the words. My hand twitches unintentionally but when I brush her skin I find that the point of contact starts to tingle.

I've been talking to Conner about Maya since we got here. When I updated him on the relationship with Riley and what I'd been doing all summer. I had spent a good portion of my break staying overnight with Maya; confiding in Maya; texting Maya; and so on. Conner asked me how I felt towards Maya. At first I assured him that we were just friends, but when I said it I must have changed my expression. Conner told me that he was sure that there was something more.

This is what we'd been discussing when Maya showed up midway through the conversation. I was asking him if I was wrong to be attracted to Maya. He said that he was a single guy and could do whatever his heart so chose. When I asked my dad what he thought about it he basically said that he suspected that I had something in for Maya. I don't know how everyone knew this before I did but now that I'm opening myself up to it and trying to express it to Maya…

I'm kind of wondering why I didn't like her this way until now…

Or at least why I haven't known it until now, anyway.

"Well you can't sleep out here without a tent. You'll get bit up by all sorts of nasty bugs." I remark in hopes of distracting myself from all the confusion of being so interested in Maya, and everything that pertains to her.

She is frowning, I can see it when she turns her head, but I don't pay as much attention to that as I do the whisper that escapes her lips. I barely hear it and the words she says – well – there's now way that I could have heard them correctly. But when I sit up I spit my words out.

"Come again, Maya?" It isn't so much a question as it is a demand.

Her frame straightens to match mine. I watch as her shoulders shift upwards. Maya's teeth clamp together a couple of times.

"I don't mean this ranch." My heart skips a beat.

And then it seems to stop.

"That's not funny."

Everything is a blur as I jump back to my feet.

"I'm not trying to be funny, Lucas." Her reply is a million miles away. At least it sounds that way to me as I start spinning in place. As soon as I am sure that I am spinning, though, I feel like I am actually pacing. My vision is blurred.

Finally I make myself just stop.

I throw my hand up and generally address Maya again, "Don't joke like that."

When she gets the courage to stand up on her own feet she throws her hands up and yells at me, "I AM NOT JOKING, LUCAS FRIAR!"

Tears are ready to literally jump out of my eyes. Maya doesn't understand why this is not an acceptable statement to wake. But when she says it I hear my father sobbing. The night he proposed to my mom she'd said she would never be ready to leave Texas. So even though I hear her saying, "I didn't expect to love it here so much but I know I'm not ready to go back to New York next week. This was a great idea."

But all I can hear is just my dad screaming and crying.

And too late I realize that's what I'm doing now.

"YOU'VE FINALLY DONE IT, MAYA! YOU HAVE FINALLY BROKEN ME! CONGRATULATIONS!" I shriek at her. The sound echoes over my shoulder, but I don't seem to care. I want to care but with the divorce I watched my parents go through just keeps my shouting at her, "YOU CAN GET A RIDE FROM CONNER!"

My feet have me running faster than I've ever ran, or even moved before. By the time I get to my car my face is decorated with dried, salty tears. But as quickly they stick to my skin they are washed away by fresh tears; I had thought that the divorce's hold over my own emotions had long been severed. Obviously I am wrong. I suppose I should have anticipated myself following in my father's footsteps almost perfectly. I throw the truck into gear and speed away from the rodeo ranch to my own.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Riley calls me just after Lucas storms off. I wasn't even trying to piss him off this time. For once I really have absolutely no idea what's going on. I dump the remainder of my lemonade on the ground and decide that there was no amount of alcohol that is going to help me understand this whole mess.

I start to follow his trail back to the crowd to find Conner, since he's obviously going to be my ride home, and as I'm walking I get ap hone call from Riley. She must have just gotten back from her own 'date' with this Derrick the Waiter character.

"Yeah, Riley…"

"Oh, no." She moans.

"Yeah, sorry, but now is an awful time. Lucas is legit pissed off right now." I don't really feel comfortable telling her that I managed to do it. She starts to ask me what about but I hang up the phone.

As I am walking around searching for Conner, I get a serious of text messages from Riley. She is obviously texting me while she has him on speakerphone in a call. I glance at them as they come across the screen but my main objective is to hitch a ride home.

**Riles: He says that he's not mad at you.**

**Riles: I thought he was mad at you.**

**Riles: Your voice made it sound like he was made at you.**

Five minutes pass by after those messages before I get the next set of string messages from Riley. They distract me so much that I almost miss Conner making out with a half-naked cowgirl pressed against his body. I take this opportunity to kick back and really read through the messages that Riley is sending me essentially every time Lucas starts talking over her.

**Riles: He's trying to tell me that his mom said something to make him mad.**

**Riles: I think he's lying.**

**Riles: Is he lying?**

**Riles: Or maybe you're lying?**

**Riles: I don't know if anyone is lying. What is happening?**

**Riles: And now he's just saying that you said something that his mom said once.**

**Riles: What did you even say?**

**Riles: Now he says he's done talking to me about it.**

**Riles: Why aren't you talking to me either?**

**Riles: I don't understand what's happening here.**

**Riles: Lucas just called me back. He wants to know if I'm talking to you.**

**Riles: Am I allowed to tell him that I'm talking to you?**

**Riles: I suppose it's not talking TO you…**

**Riles: …BECAUSE YOU AREN'T RESPONDING!**

**Riles: O.M.G. He said that he just left you at the bonfire alone.**

**Riles: MAYA DID HE REALLY JUST LEAVE YOU THERE?!**

**Riles: You need to respond to me right now.**

**Riles: MAYA!**

**Riles: MAYA!**

**Riles: Lucas is pretty upset right now. You need to answer me.**

**Riles: Or answer him. I don't know.**

**Riles: MAYA!**

**Me: I'm waiting on Conner to turn the mack daddy off so I can hitch a ride back home. Lucas left but he didn't leave me.**

**Riles: I'd avoid Lucas at all costs. He is furious.**

**Riles: Thank you for finally replying.**

**Me: I'll call tomorrow. Miss you :)**

**Riley: You too :):)**

As soon as Conner pulls away from the girl he had pinned down in romantic, or lustful, embrace I grab his attention. He lifts his phone to reveal a text from Lucas. It is asking him to make sure Maya makes it home safely. Conner says that it's a good thing he hadn't been drinking for that very reason. Then he mumbles that he expected the 'lovebirds' to 'make trouble' in paradise. I want to yell at him and make a fuss but I just follow him silently to his truck.

On the ride back Conner asks me about the fight with Lucas. I explain the conversation step-by-step from my end of things. It is obvious that Conner knows what set Lucas off but he refuses to actually say anything alluding to his knowledge. I groan about him being so shut up about it but he assures me that Lucas already feels bad about blowing up at the rodeo ranch. When I check my phone I see that I have a frown face emoticon from Lucas in my inbox.

Once we are stopped Conner tells me that if I'm looking to avoid Lucas I should just climb up. He gives me a few tips about the best places to get grips and where to put my feet so that I can get there quietly. Once I follow the instructions flawlessly I'm comfortably settling into my bed without anyone even knowing I made it back, except for Les who calls me and asks if I snuck in or not. Before he says 'good-night' he reminds me that the teenage drama has to come down a few notches because it's not his area of expertise. I thank him for the laugh before I just pull a pillow over my face and give up for the day.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_ I know, I don't usually do two entries within one day, but I just got off the phone with Lucas. I told him that Maya was fine. He thanked me for letting him know and apologized for being such a mess when he had called earlier. That's when I decided to ask him what really happened._

_ And he just repeated that Maya had said something that reminded him of his mother. I asked him why that was important, and he just reminded me that he still gets emotional about the divorce. I don't remember him being _that_ emotional about the divorce anymore. Sometimes he barked at me for making an out-of-term comment about them being divorced, but he never got so affected by it that he stormed off and started behaving irrationally._

_ So after I got off the phone with Lucas I checked my QuikPiks for updates. I noticed that Lucas was posting a bunch of pictures of him and Riley from the night. Under each of them was an apology for ruining the fun time that they had over a stupid argument. And he tagged Maya in each photo he posted. This was not like Lucas to very publically address what was obviously a personal problem. He wasn't even this forward about our break up. And this was something that a lot of people wanted to know about._

_ When I showed my mom and dad they asked me to let it be. Dad said that boys sometimes do things that they don't realize might look bad. And then Mom said that whatever issues Lucas and Maya were having with each other needed to be worked out in whatever unconventional way they could piece together for themselves. Dad reminded me that Lucas and Maya had an odd sort of friendship and were probably just arguing over something petty that turned personal. Mom looked at Dad who was mouthing the word "chicken" to me. This was my queue to run away from whatever fight they were about to have._

_ I won't bother anyone about this, but I can't help but feel like I am missing a huge part of a picture that is right in front of me. I can't fix everyone, though. Maya taught me this a long time ago. All I can do now is wait for Maya and Lucas to tell me they are on good terms again. Hopefully they resolve it quickly because I'd love to talk about Derrick with Maya. He's a sweet guy, actually, and is keeping great company – as a _friend_, mind you._

_A friend!_

_Riley 3_

* * *

><p>AN: I tried to integrate Riley a lot in my outline so that we didn't forget about her, also to show that Lucas and Maya are still heeding the fact that she's their friend. Do you like the way she's being incorporated? I'm afraid she's going to disappear for the next few chapters again. But having her in doses is working right? I need the validation guys. VALIDATE ME...please?


	9. Girl Meets Boy Talk

Important Note: I apologize to those of you who follow this story and received an onslaught of updates this evening. I went back and made slight changes in the first 4 chapters and fixed a tiny name swap error in the eighth chapter. I'd mentioned very early on that I wasn't editing this story for personal reasons but if I notice something that I think is pretty significant I will occasionally go back to fix it. Anyway - thank you for sticking with me through the series of updates tonight and I hope that you can enjoy Chapter 9 :):):)

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Meets Boy Talk

(AKA, A chapter titled expertly to remind you of a previous chapter titled Boy Meets Girl Talk – thanks)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I've been struggling to sleep. It's been like three hours. Since nobody could possible be up this late I decide to just tip-toe my way down to get a drink of water. And maybe some bread because the alcoholic lemonade definitely was too much for my guts with no real food in my belly. I'm frowning as I step down each stair quietly, especially when I have to pass through the hall that contains Lucas' bedroom.

I want to open the door and apologize for whatever it is that I did to piss him off so much, but I know that's not an option. My feet walk away. I make them. However, my mind doesn't necessarily move forward with me. I keep playing possible apologies in my head.

_I'm sorry, Lucas, for being honest about wanting to stay in Texas forever._ But this is too upfront about the fact that I want to live here and be near him.

_I'm sorry, Lucas, for saying what was on my mind with no regard for your country brand of crazy._ This is obviously more hurtful than it is apologetic so it cannot be said either.

_I'm sorry, Lucas, for basically saying that this place feels like home to me._ There's actually nothing wrong with this but I don't feel like it really says enough. Okay, I'm lying. It says everything that it needs to say but it's not impactful enough for my taste. It doesn't really convey how I feel in the momentous way that I feel it, you know?

_I'm sorry, Lucas, for being whatever it was that I was being and I promise that if you tell me what it was I will never use it against you in anyway to piss you off because – honest – I wasn't trying to be mean that time._ There are far too many words in that to be an apology so much as a blubbering idiot.

Before I can think up my next apology, though, I overheard voices as I'm coming up on the corner that has an opening to the sitting room and the kitchen. Instantly I know that it is Lucas and Conner talking. Instinctually I throw myself softly onto the wall and slide down under the cover of a small table. Days ago I questioned the purpose of a table in a hallway but clearly it's for eavesdropping…

And even though I don't really want to call this _eavesdropping_…

I'm just going to accept the table being in the hallway.

"Riley has liked and commented on every picture I posted. She knows there's something going on… at least she knows _I'm_ lying about _something._" Lucas reveals.

Conner, though, quickly comforts him, "So what? You're not obligated to tell her anything. You guys agreed to a break up." I can hear him slurping back something but I don't dare peer around to see what it actually is. All that matters to me is that I know he's drinking and even that information is basically irrelevant. I should not be listening to this conversation…

"We broke up so that neither of us would be miserable during the last few months. This – _this _– this will _not_ do anything but make everyone miserable." Lucas is obviously frustrated. He's tapping his foot the way he does when he doesn't know the answer to the question.

"Riley will not be a hothead about this, Luke. You are making this difficult when it really is not difficult at all." Conner is obviously no more interested in the drama that Les is, which should not surprise me. Drama hardly seems like a "boy" thing, but one thing I've learned after living in New York is that there is no such thing as just a "girl" or just a "boy" thing. Still, though, it just didn't seem like something Conner would really be into dealing with…

"But if she knew how I felt about Maya… about the times I stayed overnight with her…" I sort of want to be wrong but sort of want to be right, but it almost sounds like Luca is correlating all the times and nights he came over to my apartment with whatever feelings he's having towards me right now. And if I was dumb, deaf, and blind then maybe I wouldn't have realized that Lucas and I had a great time when we were hanging out together; unfortunately, I knew that which could only mean that I've just heard confirmation that Lucas is just as attracted to me as I am to him.

It both lifts my spirits and breaks my heart.

All these years I've squished, altered, and denied the 'crush' I had on him so that Riley could have him. All these years I've watched Riley and Lucas cuddle, and hold hands, and kiss, and listened to them complain about sexual tension when all I wanted to do was scream at the top of my lungs that I liked Lucas too. It always felt unfair that Lucas was dating Riley.

Now it feels unfair that he's not because I honestly don't know if I'll be able to keep my mouth shut.

"Well, nobody really knows how you feel about Maya because you haven't exactly said. Basically I spend all day telling you that you should make a move and then you spend the same amount of time telling me that it's not an option. As far as feelings are concerned, you've kind of made Maya sound like an accessory to your tractor." Conner's level of 'real talk' was intense. Essentially what has happened is he's calling Lucas out on his passive aggressive crap.

"Shut up." Lucas growls. Yes, I can say that he _growls_ at Conner.

"Don't avoid this shit with me, man. Just tell me what you actually feel for Maya so it's not a mystery to me… or you, because I'm pretty sure you don't even understand how you feel."

I am not ready for this. I'm not ready for it at all and I know I should be getting up and moving away. But I don't. I am frozen in place and my ears are listening to closely I am almost sure that I'm going to hurt myself waiting for him to say what he's feeling.

"She's just – I don't know – she's just_ Maya._ She is fun. She is honest. She is reliable, really ridiculous reliable…" I hear him sigh with exasperation. It's the same sigh he used when he talked about college. The helpless one where he knows he feels one way but there's a completely different reality at hand. I know that however he chooses to continue his explanation it will hurt worse than anything. "But she's a million miles ahead of me. She already has a job and apartment. Maya is already living an adult life, and has been for a couple of years. Her life is figured out and she's ready to settle on something and run with it. And all I've got figured out about my life is that I think college will be too stressful so I've decided to run the family ranch with my father instead. If that's how I'm making my decisions what kind of adult does that make me? Certainly not one good enough for Maya…"

Conner is gulping back the remainder of his drink. Lucas coughs. I think I hear footsteps but I don't see anyone at the other end of the hall. I return my focus to the conversation and that same sigh is escaping Lucas' lips yet again.

"Besides, I can never tell if Maya actually likes me or not. And who even _knows_ if what she said at the bonfire tonight is true." So there it is. It sort of comes together now. He wasn't mad at me for what I was saying. He was mad because he didn't know what it meant. Or at least this has to be the basis of the rage he was experiencing towards me.

"Well, if she's as honest as you're saying she then I have to guess that she probably meant what she said." Conner concludes for him. Then he burps loudly. It definitely kills the seriousness of the conversation a few notches. I actually giggle into my hand because it's sort of amusing. It shouldn't be but I always laugh at burps, farts, and poops. It's probably because I have no manners whatsoever. I was raised with no 'decorum.'

"But you realize that my mom said that to my dad. She said she may never be able to leave the ranch and then fourteen years later she divorced him and ran away!" Then the final piece of the puzzle falls quickly into place. I'd never asked too many questions about Lucas' parents and their divorce. I actually never knew that his mother was a city girl to begin with, which probably would have been helpful information. I could have not pissed him off by sounding just like her.

"That is the stupidest way to look at this. I can't even comprehend how stupid of a comparison this is." Conner continues to have none of Lucas' crap, which I find to be quite admirable. Maybe I should have made him my type. It probably would have made this vacation to Texas so much easier. Although, try as I might to change my mind I know that one way or another I would have still settled my mind on Lucas. Even though he's the opposite of everything I've become he is still just so perfect to me.

"How is this any different than that? Dad and Mom met on a Spring Break trip. He brought her back here and she never left so he could keep working on the ranch. And then she eventually left because she couldn't let go of the life she was raised to live _in the city_. I love my dad but I really don't want that same thing to happen to me." The short version of his parents' love story was sad. I cannot begin to fathom how sorrowful it would have been to hear it properly. Two people who probably seemed to be in a storybook romance fell apart. I used to joke that all princess stories that sound perfect, like Cinderella, probably all eventually end in divorce. Now I feel awful for saying that because clearly – they do.

But, thankfully, Conner challenges Lucas' gloomy state-of-mind, "That's not the right question to be asking yourself."

"What?" He surprises me. I know what Conner means, but Lucas must have been too caught up in his own thoughts to understand.

"You're asking yourself if you want the same thing to happen to you. What you should be asking yourself is the only question that matters. And that question is: what are your feelings for Maya worth? Are they strong enough to take action?" Conner basically tells Lucas what he needs to hear. And honestly, I kind of feel like I needed to hear it, too; our feelings will eventually get in the way of our ability to function around one another. I mean, carrying on a conversation could – at some point – turn into an impossible act. This needs to be put into perspective.

But I'm cheating because I'm eavesdropping.

Yes, I accept this. I am just listening on a conversation that wasn't mine to hear. Shame on me! To be fair, though, nobody should be surprised at all.

"Alright, then…" I can hear Lucas setting something down on a table. I am definitely scared that he's getting up to go to my room and do something very uncalled for and very drastic. In a mad panic I scramble away and try to get onto my feet. Unfortunately, Les is standing in the middle of the hall with his arms crossed. My eyes trace him upwards and I can see he is very angry with me. He pushes me into the view of Lucas and Conner who are coming out of the sitting room. Everyone's mouth is wide open except Les, who just looks tired and fed up with everyone.

"Alright – so what's going on? Maya is sneakin' 'round the hallways. Ya boys smell of alcohol. There's too much mischief here tonight and I am definitely not havin' a lick of it. Not. A. Lick. Do ya three hear me?" Les is commanding with a strong voice now. I am currently in his grip so I am certainly the most frightened. I can feel his anger right now as his fingers tighten and loosen.

Lucas stops listening to his father, though, when he hears Les say I've been sneaking around. He is staring me down and almost doesn't even register when Les escorts me to the steps. I start up the stairs but as soon as I see Les double back for the boys I figure there's little more trouble that I could get into by listening some more.

"I cannot believe ya, Lucas. Conner, honestly not as surprisin'… But ya should never drink unless ya ask me. We're pretty lenient folk down here. If yer mom or yer dad say ok, then you do it. And yer only ever doin' it at yer home under the supervision of an adult! And one thing yer never to do, Lucas, is drink when yer pissed off. Do ya know how irresponsible that is, son?" Les is calling Lucas out for doing something very un-Lucas-like, which is fantastic. If I had pieced together that the boys were drinking beer I would have said something. Not because its bad and it shouldn't be done – because I obviously had already been drinking myself this evening – but simply because Lucas is not that type of person. He never will be.

"I'm sorry." I barely hear Lucas mumbling.

"I suggested it, sir. I apologize for being a bad influence." Conner tries to cushion the fall for his friend. This is admirable. Again, I should have just made Conner my type and avoided all this nonsense. But nothing is that easy. Not when you're my age.

"Don't ya talk unless yer spoken to, Conner!" Les shouted. I felt myself jump a little. It was another moment when I should have just run to my room and buried my head in my pillow. But if I did that then I wouldn't be Maya Hart, and thankfully I'm ridiculous reliable – not my words – and so I stay and listen anyway.

"Yes, sir. Understood, sir." Conner replies to Les quickly and stiffly.

"I will assign chores at breakfast to all _three_ of ya'll in the morning. Go to bed." Les concludes in exasperation. This is when I stand up and start tapping my way back up to my room. I am still in the hallway when Lucas and Conner stop at his door. He asks Conner if he thinks I was listening to their conversation. Conner just grunts and takes off into another guest room in the large house.

I lock the door behind me when I finally reach my room. I crawl back into my bed. I roll myself up in the blankets like a burrito. Before I stuff my arms into the blankets I make sure that the pillows are in a perfect 'U' shape. As I am getting ready to tuck in and let my brain work it's self-destructive magic, wouldn't you figure?

Oh yes. My cell phone buzzes on the mattress outside of my warm paradise. I see quickly that it's Lucas. It's a text message from Lucas. I should not answer it.

I shouldn't even _read _it.

At all. Or at least not right now.

But I do not have that kind of will power.

Damn it, why don't I have the will power?

**Lucas: Why were you downstairs?**

**Me: I was thirsty. I was on my way to get water.**

**Lucas: :( :( :(**

**Lucas: Why were you downstairs?**

**Me: …**

**Me: … …**

**Me: I was really thirsty. That is true.**

**Lucas: I need to know if you were listening our conversation.**

_15 Minutes of silence…_

**Lucas: Maya.**

**Lucas: Please just tell me if you heard anything.**

**Me: Yes. **

**Me: I did.**

* * *

><p>AN: Of all of the chapters, this one was the easiest for me to write. I hope you like it.

Also - I wanted to briefly apologize for some of the errors that have popped up here and there. I have, however, mentioned that I'm not really editing through these. The idea is to get this typed up and posted quickly. I'm pretty confident in my writing that what errors I do make are not so significant that it destroys the story, so hopefully that has proven to be true for those of you reading. This is a hobby and while I do strive for perfection I have to focus it elsewhere during this time of my life. This just sort of carries me through the day and I'm happy to share my silly story with you to hopefully get you through your day as well.

Thank you very much for your support. I'm actually working on the new chapter for a little bit tonight before I got to bed so I'll probably have another chapter out within two days :)


	10. Girl & Boy Have a Confrontation (Pt 1)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl & Boy Meet Confrontation (Part 1)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I have been rereading Maya's text message for hours. I fell asleep reading the damn message. As soon as I woke up I started rereading the phone conversation. I would tap out responses and decide immediately they were crap. So I am now pacing my room staring at the screen, barely dodging everything nook and cranny around me. It isn't until Conner comes in that I finally explode. I chuck my phone angrily into my pillow. Once I whip around to face Conner dead on I point at him and find myself struggling not to shout!

"I feel like I'm on trial!" I conclude.

Conner, being the fantastic mate he's always been, just nods at me and rolls his eyes. He literally just rolls his eyes at me whenever he feels like it. I personally feel like while he completely has every right to pissed off right now that he should not be doing this right now. I selfishly feel like now is the completely wrong time to be rolling eyes about anything. Especially at me!

"Then treat it like a trail, man. Fight fire with fire. She's being unreasonable so you should be unreasonable right back." Conner suggests this to me and I can see in his eyes right now as I am whirling around and pulling at my hair that he just _knows_ that this is not going to work at all. She will feed off of the stupidity of the unreasonable plan and it just thoroughly irritates me knowing this. I feel like I am stuck in a rut. How does that even happen? It feels like it happened overnight or something.

And this is clearly an obvious question on my face because Conner just casually answers it, "It did sort of happen last night, so…"

"I am two seconds away from kicking you the hell out of here, Conner."

He's not arguing with it, I can tell. He pulls his cell phone out and starts tapping something away. It's probably a text message to his parents or something. I don't know. But I decide to just get everything over with right away. I jump on my bed and crawl to the headboard where my phone ended up slamming after it bounced up from the pillow. I slam myself back and twist around until I'm in a good position to mope over my cell phone screen until Maya responds to the message I'm sending her.

**Me: How much?**

I wait patiently, or what I think is very patiently considering my not-so-stable state-of-mind right now. I sit and I wait for a response from her.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I have just started sketching the picture Lucas had posted on QuikPiks last night. The one he had taken of me holding the sunflower really inspired me to get up and do something creative. Unfortunately, I've barely sketched the basis of the picture of the canvas when I receive Lucas' message. His question hardly is surprisingly, and really is not all that intimidating by itself. The confirmation of the answer that we both know results from this question, that's the frightening part. The honesty is the be-all-end-all in this situation. Yet, I just type up my response casually and coolly.

**Lucas: How much?**

**Me: Can't say for sure. I was there for about ten minutes?**

**Me: Ten minutes sounds about right.**

Lucas doesn't reply to me. At least, he isn't replying right now. I use this time to get a bas color on the canvas. The early morning sun inspires the color palette that I'm intending to use. Instead of representing the flower exactly I want to invert it, or simply saturate the tones. Honestly, I am very happily painting when the next message comes through. I've barely noticed that half an hour has passed.

**Lucas: Well?**

"Oh, no, Lucas Friar. I know what this is asking." I say aloud to myself as I get up from my stool and slink over to the railing. I push my phone into my pocket and contemplate the question wholly.

Lucas is asking me to confirm or deny that; first, I heard him admit he is attracted to me, and; two, that I either do or do not return those feelings. This text is asking me, although I think more subtly it is more or less a please, to affirm himself. Who doesn't want to get reaffirmation about their feelings towards someone or something? People live to have their egos boosted. I know this. I know this and I know it so well that I just don't buy into it.

I am not about to make already complicated things even more complicated than they were but throwing a romantic relationship with my best friend's ex-boyfriend who is also, incidentally, my other best friend. No way I am falling for this. I refuse to be a part of it. I've squelched those feelings for years and I can keep doing it for the rest of this school year. I am not answering this text message.

As time keeps passing and I keep painting I see that Les leaves the house without Lucas or Conner. This means it's probably lunchtime and that I've missed the first meal of the day. I finally pull my phone back out to thankfully find no missed messages from Lucas or Conner. Riley has texted me but that doesn't count because its about this Derrick fellow she's going to hang out with this week. I reply vaguely in a way that makes me seem more interested than I actually am. Riley falls for that stuff and even though she knows it, she never fails to bite every time. I love her for it.

Just as I am making my way to the door after I put my painting supplies away I find that I am to be surprised with unrequested company. When I cross my arms Conner simply smiles at me and pulls out his phone. Whatever it could possibly be I know that it's going to be ridiculous.

"Maya Hart. I am here to act as an intermediary between conflicted parties. Lucas Friar has requested information, to be discussed momentarily, and prays for your compliance. Will you, Maya Hart, agreed to these terms and oblige to the request?" This is what Conner has come to my room for? I cannot even hide my amusement and find that moments later I am laughing.

I am laughing so hard that Conner himself has to bite his lip to avoid laughing with me. I shut the door behind us and then take a seat on my bed. Every time I glance back up to Conner the urge to chuckle a little bit has to be satiated.

"Is this real?" I question him. I don't need a verbal response, which is good because Conner does not give me one, so when he nods at me I just cover my face and squeal into my hands.

"We both know what he wants." I groan as I roll onto my stomach. No sooner have I repositioned myself do I decide it isn't going to work. So I just flop around until I just throw myself onto my feet and then point sternly at Conner who is maintaining as neutral of an expression as any one person could probably manage in this situation. "He wants me to tell him whether or not I return his feelings, but that's completely irrelevant here. Riley wouldn't even know how to be upset with me because she'd be so pissed off."

As I say this I know that even I don't necessarily believe what I am saying. Riley is many things; kooky, strange, quirky, awkward, educated, confused, generous, motivated, and loving. Riley is not angry. She doesn't know what angry means. Her brain just defaults to confused. She cannot process rage in that sweet little head of hers. This knowledge is one the main motivators to not give in to the obvious temptation in front of me.

"Also, the two most important people in the world to me are moving away in a few months. Riley is leaving during Spring Break. Lucas is coming back here after graduation. I literally will have nobody left in New York when high school is over. He wants to me to choose friendship or relationship. Why should I do that for Lucas when I love Riley too?" At this point I'm just reasoning aloud. I should probably check and see whether or not Conner is typing any of this out on his phone as record. I choose to not check right now, though, and instead continue talking up my decision to not make the selfish decision.

"This is definitely not the sort of decision that can just be made and I can just waltz into his arms and say that I like him. I can't just admit to him that when I'm feeling down that I think of his smiling face. And how when I'm laughing I'm already planning on how to share that happy moment with him. That sort of confrontation with him is only going to encourage both of us to disregard the fact that Riley, someone who is special to both of us, is going to be affected by this. And even more, our friendship could crumble completely if we make this decision and it doesn't work out. I also don't plan on sacrificing something that special."

Even though this feels somewhat like the end of the world, I know its not. I have dealt with worse, harder, and scarier things before. This just feels so hard because it's happening now when everything else seems so great. I've said all of what is on my mind now. I've just wiped it clean and just start jumping in pace in the same fashion I would if I were preparing for a one mile jog before school.

_This_ is when I approach Conner and take his phone away. He's typed up a bunch of the same information. I scoff and shake my head. Conner is smiling next to me, I can see it out of the corner of my eye, but he just licks his lips when I start tapping out a different message. A message that I think will get my point across in much simpler words.

"Take this to Lucas Friar." I feel a grin tugging at my cheeks. It's not the sort turning that signifies happiness or accomplishment. It's a sad smirk that screams 'I fully realize that I'm putting the nail in the coffin on this topic.' I accept this and send Conner on his way. When he leaves I suspect that he'll be back very quickly, though, and don't even both to close the door all the way.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I don't even let Conner walk all the way through the door. I grab his phone eagerly and slam the door behind him. For some stupid reason I was expecting good news because he was gone for a pretty long time. That could have been due to Maya trying to choose her words wisely.

When I read the words on the screen I just mentally ask myself if I had forgotten that I was dealing with Maya Hart. Did I somehow overlook that detail?

"Conner?" I inquire delicately. His silence and the sound of him slamming himself on the mattress confirms without words that the note on his phone reading "Declined request to respond" were absolutely correct.

I've many times been prideful of the fact that I don't throw tantrums. I'm not a violent person. That being said, as soon as I know this is an accurate message I kick the nearest dresser. And I keep kicking it until I can't feel my toe. When I get done with that hissy fit I try to breathe through my rage, but it lasts for a few moments. A few moments is a lot longer than I expected of myself, but I continue my violent outburst by grabbing the nearest solid item and throwing it at Conner.

Knowing that he is in my line of fire, he just jumps off my bed, and watches me as I chuck random item from my dressers, my chests, chairs, and desk. I just throw them there and then groan. Or I start to form words that turn into yells. It takes Conner putting both hands on my shoulders and shaking me a little bit to make me realize that I am behaving like a toddler.

"This is stupid." We both conclude aloud. As we are nodding we are silently brainstorming a way to counteract the tart attitude that defines Maya so distinctly form other girls and women in her age group. If I want to make any progress with this romance-angst nonsense then I have to really, _really_ pus the boundaries.

"Ask her for permission to approach. See what she does." When I direct Conner to do this he shows me his phone and reveals that he'd already typed it up for me. Sometimes he's like the brother that I never had. He knows me very well in spite of the fact that our friendship is limited to vacations in Texas and CallFace video chats. He's wonderful and I hug him before he leaves my bedroom.

While I am waiting for him I start cleaning up the mess I made. Things are put back into the places I took them from, and others are dusted off and placed in more aesthetic places. I am surprised a little when I hear Conner come back within a few minutes and close the door after himself. I am not nearly as hopeful as I was the first time that this happened so I just sigh and ask him to deliver me the bad news.

Instead, he shows me a message that says…

"Supervised?" My curiosity falls out. Conner confirms that this is what she proposed. I feel bad for him because he's somehow got tied up in the middle of a mess that he really did not need to be involved in, and also hardly knew anything about. He knew about as much about Maya as anyone who'd never met her knew. Limited information, most of which just pointed to her being a juvenile delinquent; so when he nodded at me in acceptance of my unspoken request… the gratitude I felt was so dense that I couldn't even move to hug him in appreciation. I stood frozen.

He takes advantage of this, almost as if on cue, Conner swiftly knocks very loudly on my wall in a two beat pattern. Seconds later my door creaks open and Maya peers around the corner with a painted smile on her face. I am surprised that she even agreed to come down to talk to me face-to-face. When she comes in I can do nothing except place myself in the chair at my desk and stare at her. Conner places Maya on top of a storage chest at a slight angle to me so that we can remain facing one another during whatever is about to happen. I hope that it's a conversation but I can never truly know what will happen with Maya Hart. She surprises me everyday.

"So… You've obviously heard enough to know where I stand, am I right?" There's no way better to start these things than to cut to the chase. Maya obviously agrees because she does at least nod a little bit, whether its in understand or acceptance is probably irrelevant because even if she didn't know before she knew now. I had basically made it plainly clear where I stood.

And now I'm eager to know how she is fairing on the other side of the fence.

* * *

><p>Author's Fun Facts #2 - You get it even if you don't want it!<p>

The outline for this chapter was actually twice as long. However, when I caught sight of the word count for this chapter alone was going to put me over 5,000 words which was more than I really wanted to be putting into one chapter for this story. The purpose of this is to be fast paced and as I write these chapters, I think between 2,000-3,000 words really leaves the impact that I'm looking for in these installments.

So, that being said, I'm giving myself a little more time to get Part 2 posted. One - strategically it will leave you all hanging and wanting more which makes authors feel super awesome. But also - I have a bad day at work today. I also had some personal issues come up at home. And on top of all of this, I'm not feeling great right now, probably the result of not being able to sleep hardly at all. Anyway - I'm done whining about real life problems. You're all worried about fictional problems ;) I'll have something for you this weekend, I promise!


	11. Girl & Boy Have a Confrontation (Pt 2)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl & Boy Meet Confrontation

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

* * *

><p><strong><em>PREVIOUSLY ON GIRL &amp; BOY MEET CONFRONTATION:<em>**

"I feel like I'm on trial!" Lucas Friar.

"Then treat it like a trail, man. Fight fire with fire. She's being unreasonable so you should be unreasonable right back." Conner.

**Lucas: How much?**

**Me: Can't say for sure. I was there for about ten minutes?**

**Me: Ten minutes sounds about right.**

**Lucas: Well?**

"Maya Hart. I am here to act as an intermediary between conflicted parties. Lucas Friar has requested information, to be discussed momentarily, and prays for your compliance. Will you, Maya Hart, agreed to these terms and oblige to the request?" Conner.

"We both know what he wants." Maya Hart.

"Take this to Lucas Friar." Maya Hart.

"Ask her for permission to approach. See what she does." Lucas Friar.

"Supervised?" Lucas Friar.

"So… You've obviously heard enough to know where I stand, am I right?" Lucas Friar.

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Maya is staring at her feet. I instinctively stare at her feet too. The unnerving silence that is building up second by second is too much to bare simply watching her consider her response…. Which proves to be every bit as disappointing as I would have guessed.

"I know. And I'm bad for knowing." Her voice has significantly more cheer to it than her body language would lead anyone to believe. As I assess this information and try to compose a response I glance over at Conner who has both hands behind his back. I haven't seen him this way in a year. Even if he laughs at the uncomfortable situation I can see now that he's taking it as seriously as I am, and that he feels every bit as concerned as I do. He's truly a best friend.

"Maya, just tell me why you stayed and listened. If you give me nothing else, just give me that." I plead hesitantly. To ask for one thing is a risk, especially if you think you may change your mind. This feels like the important question right now, but later when I'm on my bed moping and groaning about this confrontation I'll be pissed off about not having asked her something else. But every heartbeat in my body is repeating the same question. Why did she stay when she knew she should have left?

"Because I'm a nosy, noser, noserton." Her attempts to distract form the fact that she was just not answering the question was bad, so incredibly bad that I can't even pretend that I don't see how desperately she just wants to say what she means. I suppose this should be good to see because this means that she's tired to fighting herself on the matter.

"That is completely… true, yes that's a true statement, Hart, but… that's not the answer that I…" I don't know when I start walking towards her, but now as I'm trying to finish my sentence and I facing her dead on. She has lifted her chin to meet my gaze. I glance down to her lips and then very slowly drag my focus back to her eyes… which are boring down on me to finish my thought, "…asked for."

She sneers at me and tries to turn away but I gently put my arm out and shake my head at her, "Just tell me the emotional motivation for staying."

"I just like to know things, Friar. I'm always trying to know things. It makes for good blackmail." She replies as plainly and smoothly as any individual possibly could. It's moments like these where I really wish I didn't know how good of a liar she was, it would allow me to accept her words as simply as she spoke them with a smile dressing her face. But I know better.

"Liar." I proclaim. Her body stiffens but I do not fear that she plans to flea our conversation so I drop my arm. I'm actually confident enough that she'll remain behind that I turn away from her and share a silent expression of exasperation with Conner. I take a brief second to appreciate him once more, knowing that his life is not dependent on my ability to work things out with Maya.

"Truth. Not completely truth, but truth." She deflects me. I want to punch a hole the window nearby out of irritation. It's not even at Maya. It's at the way she's been raised. It's at the way that she had to mislead others to cope with her life. It's that she still feels the need to lie to protect herself; it's just dishonesty as a whole. I am beyond aggravated for the moment but I refuse to let her see it, and thankfully she must not notice because she continues, "I did want to know things. In particular? I wanted to know what I had done to upset you so much."

I turn just in time to see her shrugging her shoulders and trying to look everyone in the room but at me. Each step I take nearer to her the harder she tries to not meet my eyes. When I am only inches away I challenge her sweetness with my own bitterness about the whole mess, "Why do you care?"

If it didn't sound like I hiss, then it must sound like a growl. It feels like a hiss or a growl when the words leave my mouth. The whole premise of using this tone of voice is to give a chilling effect, something that might even intimate Maya. This, of course, is a stupid idea because nothing scares her. Nothing weakens, or at least it would not seem that way, because she just looks at me with soft eyes and snarled lips.

"I care because I wasn't trying to get under your skin _this_ time." She declares with a tone of voice that is alarmingly familiar. It's the voice that she used on those nights when I would yell at her about college, and graduation, and the ranch. It's the one that she used to remind me that I think for myself; the one that she used when she comforted Riley through relationship troubles; the one that guided Farkle through his first 'B' and 'C' papers. This was Maya's 'trust me' voice. There could be nothing more vulnerable and trustworthy than this.

I have no words to reply to her, though. At first I lift my arms to embrace her but I decide that this doesn't convey how I feel well enough. That probably has a lot to do with the fact that I don't know how I feel anymore. This whole experience is confusing, especially as I start piecing all the times it was just me and Maya hanging out. Silly things like our seventh grade muffin business or our first school dance come back to my mind and…

The way I feel when I remember those things make me angry. It's not like I and pissed off that those moments happened or anything like that. I'm just mad that now I know that those feelings were special. Those _feelings were exactly the way I felt right now when I looked at her._ And yet somehow I'd gotten wrong. I had been physically attracted to Riley, which developed into a tense friendship. At some point I just sort of pieced the puzzle together and concluded that the strain between Riley and I was because we both wanted more. She had obviously wanted a relationship, and I did, too, at the time. So that's just what we did. It was a good time. Yet now as I reflect I mentally beat my own ass for not seeing sooner that I just pursued the wrong girl.

I cannot change this now. I cannot allow myself to be upset by any of this. Lingering on these sad thoughts will get me absolutely nowhere with Maya right now. Actually, I doubt it will ever get me anywhere with her. We struggle to see eye-to-eye when we're on the same page. It's like we have the same book but we see two different meanings in the words.

"Well you know why now, don't you, Maya?" The sigh jumps out form behind my teeth against my will. In direct violation of my mental order to not speak! I cannot be too upset, though, because bottling emotions has resulted in this moment. I don't need more of these so I just accept instantly that I've said it.

As I'm letting the air free from my best, unaware that I was even holding it in the first place, Maya's hand takes my own and kind of jerks me to the side. I sidestep and reposition myself to have a full view of Maya. Distress is apparent in her features. It reminds me of darker days and my hands dart up unconsciously to her face. I bite back the urge to lean in and kiss her squarely on the mouth.

Her eyes close as I continue touching her. The way it looks to me is that she's just melting into my touch. My mind asks a question that I refuse to acknowledge, _Is this what falling in love looks like?_ To worry about whether or not this is 'love' would be to condemn whatever chance we might be able to conjure out of our reckless friendship. Before my mind can argue with me she replies, "I'm sorry."

Curiosity is pulling at my heart, now. Not unlike Maya – I also like to know things.

"Are you sorry enough to answer a second question?" With a scrunched nose on my face I try desperately to be cute and adorable to coax her into agreeing. When she sees my horrific expression, though, I know that she is completely unimpressed by my attempt. So I decide to just ask the question anyway, maybe she'll be irritated enough to answer just to clear her busy mind, "Could you maybe tell me if you were serious about what you said at the bonfire?"

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I agreed to the supervised conversation because I could try to take visual cues from Conner. He kept himself very composed most of the time, so I was hoping that he was going to give me at least something to go on. I glance over to him to see if he changes his expression at all when Lucas asks another question. His facial expression does not change at all. I chuckle and point at him accusingly.

"You knew he was going to just keep going, didn't you?" My voice declares in an irritated tone of absolutely no surprise at all. Nope, there was no surprise. I couldn't even fake my nonexistent shock. Conner just shrugs at me.

"I know a lot of things, ma'am." Conner then pretends to tip his hat at me the same way that Lucas used to do when he was trying to get under my skin. Secretly it was always one of those cute things that made me want to grab him by his shirt collar and just kiss him. But my extreme level of self control made sure that never, ever happened. Seeing Conner do it is not the same, though. He seems disinterred and basically brash. I grumble before turning my attention back to Lucas to answer the question.

"I am sorry enough to say that regardless of how serious I was when I said it – it won't actually matter." Succumbing to the truth and leveling with Lucas Friar was not nearly a dramatic and painful as I definitely expected it to be. The weight being lifted off my shoulders was pleasant, actually. Breathing comes to me a little easier as soon as I've finished my thought.

But I jump when Lucas nearly shouts right back at me.

"WHAT?" He looks at me innocently for a moment then turns his attention to Conner. In a manner not to different from my own, he jabs a finger into Conner's chest and calls him out too, "You knew that she was telling the truth, didn't you."

This is where Conner sort of becomes fed up, I think. He pushes Lucas back in front of me with a grim look on his face. I personally think that there's something more bothering him besides being caught in the middle of this. He gestures to both of us while he is speaking, "Like I said, I know a lot of things. It doesn't really matter what I know because you two need to work this out on your own. I'm staying here to be a good friend to _both _of you."

I decide to push Lucas on to the bed – IN A SITTING POSITION – so that we can speak calmly. Lucas takes a seat where I had been placed earlier and watches with patience once more. Even though I appreciate his presence, which I had asked for to begin with, I know that I need to stop looking to him for direction on this. It's only been a few days but to him it must feel like years. My head twists to face Lucas directly who is just rubbing his forehead.

"Maya, if you were being serious at the bonfire about not leaving – that changes _everything_. Not just for you and I, but for everyone. A decision like that would affect everyone." Lucas tells me exactly what I've known all along. And my response comes as naturally as blinking.

"Precisely why it doesn't matter."

Lucas grumbles and places his hand on my knee, "Please don't be like this. Not right now. Not over this."

Again, I don't even have to think about how I should reply, "Please don't make me." I begin to wonder if Lucas realizes that there are other people to consider. He obviously knows that everyone will have to adjust to the possibility of 'us.'

Oh my, that sure does give me chills. The possibilities of an 'us' even being attainable…

"This is ridiculous as you know it. We are overdramatizing something that is not written in stone yet. Why can't we just be open about being attracted to each other? Is it the end of the world and I don't know?" Lucas has this _really_ attractive way of putting everything into perspective. When Riley would talk about it I just agreed submissively because it was completely true. Lucas was a no-fuss-no-muss kind of guy and we both obviously appreciated it... in exactly the same way, when it came right down to it.

"Isn't it?" Conner could be heard mumbling under his breath. Lucas changes his expression and tilts his head to Conner quickly. I watch him bite back a thought but I can't interrupt our serious conversation to ask what it is. Presumably it will come up eventually. Instead of letting it hang in the air I just start nodding my head.

"Fine, Lucas Friar, cowboy extraordinaire, we can be completely up front about our feelings. But we have to also be accepting of that fact that this can _never_ go anywhere." Lucas starts shaking his head as I tell him this because he obviously disagrees, but I lift my hand and stop his movement. Shock defies his request, I can see, because a flash of nervousness glimmers in his eyes. I smack my lips for a second as I put my thoughts back together, "I know that's a strange concept for you, but I've already been doing this for a very long time so I can promise you that it gets easier with time. You'll square away with it all eventually."

For a second we lean closer together but instead Lucas just rests his forehead on mine. He makes it known that he is not going to kiss me, which is perfectly fine because I know that I wouldn't be able to handle it calmly. I would freak out and start saying foul things that I don't actually mean. I know it would happen that way so I just sit there and wait.

"How long?" Why is it the shortest sentences cause the most damage? The question scatters my brain so quickly I almost forgot that he had even asked it by the time a conclusion spontaneously pops into my brain. I choose to move away from Lucas now. I know that I won't want to stay after I say what I have been afraid to admit all these years. When I get into the doorway I grab the knob and look at Lucas over my shoulder.

"I never stopped, cowboy, not since day one." The truth lingers in the air very heavily. I watch helplessly as Lucas' jaw drops, Conner climbs from his spot, and as I drag the door shut behind me. The feeling is great but also daunting. Now that I've said how I feel and so has Lucas the remainder of the trip is sure to be eighteen millions kinds of uncomfortable and awkward. Hopefully Conner is willing to be present often to function as an intermediary. He's done so well already, why should he stop? I laugh at myself when I get to my room and throw myself onto the mattress with a grumpy yelp.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

My heart is going to explode. I don't have a question about it. Maya has just told me that she has liked me since that day in the subway when she pretended to be my girlfriend. Now I know she wasn't actually pretending. She was just using the only defense mechanism she knew to cope with how she felt. If I wasn't so distraught by the fact that she also told its too late to act on our feelings I might have been angry. I think I would be very, very upset.

"Well, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Conner lays down on the bed and waits for me to join him. I'm a little hesitant because my mind is elsewhere but I do eventually join him. When I do I just turn my head to look at him.

"It was never this complicated with Riley." Saying this aloud doesn't change anything. It's just a complaint that I felt like getting off of my chest. Conner nods silently. He agrees that when I was trying to get things starts with Riley I never had this many issues. Maya just doesn't want to put herself first, though, which is actually in character if you know her as well as I do. I make a weak fist and punch Conner's thigh softly, "Sorry, dude. I know that this is all very childish to you – especially after last year."

He doesn't want to acknowledge what happened. The one year anniversary is coming up and I'm curious how he will behave, or what he might do. All I can do is hope that he'll come to me if he starts to feel overwhelmed by the memories an sorrow. Healing is so hard but he's done it flawlessly and I can't help but worry if he did it _too_ perfectly.

"No worries, Lucas. We have to embrace the beautiful things that we do still have… What you and Maya could have would be as perfect as things come, man. I'm just glad you guys thing I'm a good enough guy to help you work through whatever brand of crazy you guys have…" Even though he's participating in the conversation and sounds genuinely interested I can just see in the back of his mind he's reeling about his own problems. I make myself promise to put aside what's happening with Maya to help Conner through his own bad dream.

So very finally I just push it all away, "I just want to enjoy the last few days that we can all three hang out. Come what may, isn't that what your mother says?" I hear Conner gulp with force. I don't want to look at him right now even though he may need it, but I feel him shaking behind me. I know his mother says this when things are getting rough. We knock each other with our elbows to just accept whatever happens until Maya and I go back to New York.

* * *

><p>AN: Before anyone has a chance to ask about it - there's a chapter coming up that explores Conner's character a little bit more.

Author's Fun Fact:

When I originally wrote Conner into the story I was going to have Conner be the typical boy that makes the other boy jealous. I decided that was too, too predictable so as the story progressed I wanted to build Conner up a lot. So we're going to see more depth to him soon. Hopefully it touches you the way that I mean for it. I think we all have a friend who is like Conner :):)


	12. Boy & Dad Chat

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Boy & Dad Chat

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I'm sitting across from Lucas and every single time we catch each other staring I sneer and he rolls his eyes. It's the most petty thing I've ever seen, but Conner and Les are at least chatting so much that nobody notices the low grade hostility. Lucas was grounded yesterday, so were Conner and I actually, so Lucas has been ordered to excessive chores. After we had our little confrontation while he dad was out he was with the livestock all day and cleaning the outside of the house. Conner helped a lot, too, whereas I was asked to dust from bottom to top. My arms are still sore form all the dusting I did yesterday.

Today I've been let off of the hook because I wasn't drinking. Conner is also free to do as he pleases for the day because he's not Les' son. As I'm reviewing this information to myself I barely notice that Lucas is at the sinking rinsing his plate off. He's done with breakfast and already heading outside by the time I actually return to the real world. Luckily, I snap-to just in time to hear Les and Conner making my daily plans.

"Maybe you should take Maya with you so she gets out of the house." Les suggests politely. I hear Lucas slamming the door behind us. I nearly jump but instead just purse my lips and shake my head. Les mocks me, but I think he does it more or less to just add to the fact that Lucas is being an ass.

"Sounds like a great idea, sir. I could use her help while I grab last minute gifts for the holidays." Conner is shoveling the last bite of his eggs into his mouth and speaking. I see that this does not perturb Les - but he also is a man with a son. Even though they have manners they sure don't know how to eat with their mouths closed. I can't say much, though, because I still forget that my elbows aren't supposed to be on the tabletop sometimes.

"I suppose I can't argue, can I?" I decide to ask even though I know the answer. Les confirms that I don't have a choice while I pick away at my toast. Both boys are watching me closely. I don't know why or what they were expecting but I submit with a sigh of pleasantry in my voice, "I wanted to grab some stuff anyway. I saved up money to come down and Lucas hasn't let me spend at dime. As a New Yorker I am going a bit mad about it."

Les and Conner chuckle and talk amongst themselves as they start shuffling around and clearing the table off. I avoid the bacon and the greasy hash browns and instead finish off the chicken sausage made specifically for me and scurry from the table when they start over for my plates.

I overhear Les telling Conner that he needs him to pick up the gift he ordered for Lucas. Apparently he'd been leaving it at the store until the Christmas Eve party that was – shit – it was tonight. Great. All of Lucas' family was going to be here tonight. Well, not _all_ of them, but surely some of them weren't aware that she was there instead of Riley.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Lunch? I check my phone for the time and see that I can start heading back to the house for lunch. I know it's just going to be me and Dad but it doesn't matter. A break is a break. He's been working me like crazy because of the whole drinking issue. There's no reason for me to be upset about it since I know better than to behave in that way. I deserve my punishment so I'm just doing it the right way and doing it without much anger.

Although I am super pissed when I see there are not missed text messages other than the usual ones from Riley. _Good Morning, Lucas. Maya hasn't responded yet, is she awake? Hope you're having a good day! _All messages that I usually ignore, or respond with two-word-message. _Hey Riley. She's painting. It's fine._ I don't give to her anything to run with because I do see at least what Maya is concerned about when it comes to being open about how we feel.

After I wash up I sit next to Dad who's already laid out the meal and plated food for me. I thank his quietly as I take a seat next to him. My phone is in the middle of the table even though my father doesn't like me to have it out at mealtimes. I am hoping that Conner or Maya would just give me an update on their day.

"I'm sorry for drinking. I know I've said it a dozen times but I'll keep saying it until the day is done." I decide to strike up a conversation to distract from the anticipation of something I know won't be happening.

"I get why ya did it, son, but that ain't a good reason to drink. Most parents around here don't care 'bout the kids drinkin' young. They just want to watch'm so they don't go off and do some stupid stuff. But ya didn't ask, kid. Ya don't just do it. That's how problems start – and Maya should have stepped in before I showed up. She knows all about how addictin' that sort of stuff can be." My dad casually reminds me that Maya's mother was a drug addict. It was ultimately how she ended up in foster care.

I remember all of this very vividly because they tried to get ahold of anyone in Maya's family. None of her dad's side would take her because he felt that it would cause a lot of drama and stress. They couldn't find anyone in her mother's family either. So they asked the Matthews. Topanga said absolutely and so did Cory, but Maya refused. So they asked my mom and she said that she could but Maya refused that as well. They even asked the Minkus' if they could do it – which they agreed as well, but Maya again refused. Maya ultimately asked to be sent to a girls' home. Topanga got her emancipated very quickly so that she could live on her own, but none of that changed the trauma or softened the blow of it for Maya. All of this made me sad and I stop eating as a result of it.

"Maya wouldn't tell me anything, and what does tell me doesn't make sense. If she tried to tell me to stop she would have made it overly complicated." This is as real as things get, so I am hardly surprised when my dad starts laughing. The tension seems to be cut in half so I start picking at my food and listening to him as he monologues at me.

"That's just how girls and women are when they are scared. They over complicate things to mask the fact that they are really scared about something. And Maya has no reason to trust anyone but herself." My dad glances over at me and my phone that I an checking again – yes again – to see if anyone has messaged me. I may have missed it, you know, so I'm just looking again. He takes my phone away as soon as I set it back on the table, though, and puts it in his own pocket, "That bein' said… When did you start likin' Maya so much? I never would have known 'til ya'll came down."

I really think about this. How am I supposed to know when I started experiencing anything close to attraction with Maya? I mean, I guess as I've realized my feelings during this trip I've sort of thought about the shenanigans of this summer. Having Maya and Farkle keep Riley out of the loop on all the time I was spending hiding out at Maya's apartment. Nothing was ever happening and we never even acted like it was something more than two friends agreeing to not do the college scene. So I guess I start with the first time I stayed a whole night with Maya alone at her apartment.

"When career planning started in April I went into a bit of a panic. I'm in the top one percent for our graduating class. Riley and Farkle are too, of course. One day at lunch Riley and Farkle were talking about their plans for college and they started asking me which schools I was going to attend. I blanked. Maya jumped in and said that she hated feeling the dumb kid. Riley and Farkle realized that they were being insensitive and changed the topic. After school Maya caught me before Riley did and said that I shouldn't feel pressured to do anything that I wasn't ready to do, and that meant discussing my future with other people…

"I think at the time she thought that I had plans that were going to hurt Riley, but I was already kind of leaning towards just coming back here. I miss this life out here and some of my happiest memories are coming down for the holidays. Besides, I didn't know if there was anything that I could do for the rest of my life the way I know I could just stay on the ranch and work…

"So the next night when Riley was showing me applications for some colleges she was considering – some of them outside of New York – I knew I didn't want to go home. I got on the subway and somehow ended up at Maya's front door. She welcomed me in and we just watched movies all night. She let me crash there all night and after that I just went to her place whenever things were too stressful." I don't realize how much I'm talking until I finally shove a piece of steamed cauliflower into my mouth. My tongue is dry and my jaw actually sort of hurt from the tenseness talking about what is happening with Maya.

"Wait…am I hearin' you right? You stayed a whole night at Maya's place with no adults?" To be honest, I sometimes forget my Dad is my Dad and not my friend. I've often slipped up and told him too much about some things before, but not anything quite as big as this is. I watch him cautiously as he mulls over the obvious concerns, he starts to ask if anything happened but I decide to not let him get that far.

"Riley and Farkle love school. They asked all summer where I was applying and I just played it off like I was going to let it be a surprise. Riley was always snooping through my stuff trying to find an application or an acceptance letter. Even though she was being very patient she just wanted to know, you know? It came as quite the shock to everyone when I announced that I'd decided to come back down the ranch, which you obviously knew firsthand when I asked if it was an option. But Maya was the one who kept telling me to do what made me happy.

"Every night that I spent at her house was a bit like a sanctuary where I knew I didn't have to worry about college and doing what everyone else told me to do. It was freeing. Farkle knew I was staying there but he never knew quite why. I usually just told him mom was being a pain – which she is by the way. She adores Riley and always asks what college she's going to and if I'm going. Senior year is just about college and the future. I don't give a hoot about the future because I just want to be happy. I've been miserable almost everyday of this school year so far…except when I'm hanging out with Maya." Again, I just run on and on and on. I am not trying to reveal everything to my dad but I kind of know I need to let him be a part of this, though. I can't talk to my mom about this since she's so attached to Riley. I decide that since I've already started speaking up I may as well continue honestly. It didn't work with Maya so it will probably work with my Dad.

"Son, did ya ever think staying the night with Maya was inappropriate?" My Dad is eating his food while I'm speaking, and also while he's speaking. When he asks his question I kind of know what he's trying to get at, but I choose to focus more on the fact that we both knew my answer.

"It never crossed my mind because I knew that we were just hanging out. We'd cook together, watch television, or work on homework. Riley, Farkle, and I all usually took turns checking in on her so staying the night just felt like a long shift. But not really work because hanging out at Maya's house was always fun and relaxing. I could take my mind of off stuff that really bothered me." This was very similar to the explanation I gave to Farkle when he started asking questions too. Unlike my father, he took it at face value. I told him and he accepted it as nothing more than two god friends chilling and having a great time. My father, though, he quickly starts pointing different things out to me.

"It sort of sounds like ya have sort of liked Maya this way for several months. Ya just didn't realize it until there was nobody watchin' ya." My dad proclaims. I suppose he might be right. I can't say for sure since I haven't really decided for myself.

"I don't know. Nothing has changed between us. Maya still picks on me. And I still push her buttons. The only difference is since Riley and I decided to break up I am leaning on Maya more. I can't even say when I actually realized I liked her this way. All of the sudden the desire to give her a fist bump turned into a desire to kiss that annoying mouth of hers." That was probably too much information for my Dad, but he just laughs at me.

"So ya always had a crush on Maya. Ya just didn't see it as an option 'til ya were on the same path." This is a revolutionary observation. I sit straight up and lean against the back of my chair, reeling on what he's just said. I look over at him with my mouth agape. My brows are probably doing their own thing, looking confused.

"That makes me sound like I somehow settled on Riley because that was easier…" I state still in shock. My dad shakes his head and I copy him.

"No, son. That just means you didn't realize that dating Maya was an option before so you subconsciously classified Maya as a 'friend' only." My dad tells me again how my brain is working and I almost feel like I am talking to Conner. That's when he reveals that he reads Conner's text books sometimes when he stays the night. Conner does work late nights so I don't even have to wonder if this story is true or just a cover up for something he'd done after the divorce. I trust what he's said, though, and just situate myself again so I can continue eating, but not until I remark at him again.

"Now I just sound like a jerk." As I'm eating, my Dad just continues with his psychological analysis of me.

"Son, ya can care about a bunch of different people in a bunch of different ways. And sometimes you care about people the same way at the same time. People fall in love and out of love all the time. How do ya think some people get divorced? One of the folk loves their spouse but falls in love with someone else and falls out of love with that spouse, and if they don't the love changes. That's what is so damn hard about love, kid, it changes. And if yer spouse and ya can't work together then it falls apart. That's just how it crumbles. So ya could have loved Riley throughout all of this but yer love for Maya came full circle and that's just how it is. Nothing to be ashamed of – especially bein' so young." He is telling me this while pulling my phone out. He looks at the message on the screen. The phone is handed back to me and I see it's a message from Conner asking if I have bought anything for Maya yet. I glance up my Dad who grins at me. I return the smile.

* * *

><p>AN: So who did you like a chapter of just Lucas? I know I've done a couple of just Maya. And I'm sure some of you (judging form a few reviews) are dying to know how Riley is doing right now. I don't have her really making an appearance in my outline for another 2 or 3 chapters. If I see an opportune moment to work her side of the story in, I will try. But this is a Lucaya / Laya story and that's where my focus is right now.

R&R, ya? It makes me happier. And if I'm a happy writer then you're a happy reader!


	13. Girl Shops for Boy

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl Shops for Boy

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

When Conner and I first arrived we agreed to start on one side of the mall and just do a circle so that we could hit as many shops as possible. He obviously knows what is here but I do not, which was the point of our game plan for the shopping trip. Along the way I purchase gifts here and there.

For Mrs. Matthews I found some lovely broaches and a simple bracelet. Mr. Mathews is unemployed and bored out of his mind everyday so he got a bunch of silly history books about Texas and famous people from Texas. Riley and Auggie's gifts are much better, though. For my best friend – trendy tops, flashy skirts, and a pair of glittery cowgirl boots with gold spurs. Auggie is getting some handkerchiefs and a Texas shaped flashlight keychain for the keys he would surely be getting soon when he learns to drive.

Conner points out to me when we stop for lunch that I have yet to pick up a single thing that I could give to Lucas at the party. I sigh and tell him I am not sure if I am buying anything for him at this point. Of course, we start talking about the confrontation between Lucas and I yesterday. Conner is telling me that he knows for a fact that Lucas has gotten me two presents. He even dares to tell me that one is a serious present and one is a joke present.

Refusing to believe it, I just tell him I don't know if I will make a purchase for Lucas or not. He doesn't press the issue and we start our venture again. He says that since his parents can get anything they want he usually buys for cousins and friends he'll see at college. So he gets like one present for one person here and one or two presents for other people at the next store.

Even though I've told Conner already I am not searching for anything in particular for Lucas I do look around pretty relentlessly. If I am going to express how I feel towards Lucas I want make a statement with my gift. I don't want to get him a joke gift…

But when I see a tee shirt that has a fake ranger vest and badge on it I cannot help myself. I grab it and go to the nearest card store after checking out and find a matching card and bag. I actually am so caught up in the silliness of the present that I forget to tell Conner was I am doing. He texts me and tells me where the store is so we can meet up to pick up Les' present.

With my blank cactus card shoved into the bag with the shirt I carry on through the mall, glancing at stores that we had not stopped at before. There's a perfume store that calls to me, admittedly I am a bit of a freak for smell. My mother always smelled of grease and cheap restaurant food so when I could never get the smell of off my clothes I developed a slight obsession for body sprays and floral perfume. When I go in I find a couple of reasonably priced options for myself, and some that I know I'll give to Riley. I pay for my items quickly before I make any other impromptu purchases.

Just before I go out the exit another store catches my eye. It's sort of a miscellaneous store with odds and ends. I've heard of it before but I usually don't go in because it's usually above my price range, so I do not know what to expect when I go inside.

Everything is very modern. Somehow my stereotypes lead me to believe that very few people come into this store down here. These people still make a living on rodeos, ranches, and farms. I just don't know that it is possible for someone to want a Segway or a vibrating hammock chair thing. Nothing is catching my eye in particular so I start to leave, but a representative stops me.

"Miss, I see you've got some bags already. Are you shopping for anyone in particular?" The young lady comes up to me smacking her gum just as wildly as a New Yorker on the streets might be doing while waiting for a cab. I actually find comfort in it and decide to humor her.

"A guy I like. He's the ranch boy type so I don't see anything here that really appeals to him." I thought this would deter her or something, I really don't know. Regardless of what I was expecting the opposite occurs. She brightens up almost instantly. She reaches out and touches my shoulder.

"It don't matter what he does, ya know? Tell me about you. What are your top three favorite things to do? Come now, don't be shy." I almost turn her down. I feel it at the back of my throat, the urge to just leave. Unfortunately, my mind is far too curious and helpless during the emotions of the last few days. I respond.

"I love art of any kind. I follow fashion pretty closely, even though I won't admit that aloud to many people. And I like watching movies. Tons of movies." Even as I am telling her this she is scurrying around the store. She ends up picking up three things. One item is a wallet that looks like movie film. Another item is an electronic picture frame; and the final item is just a basic chain bracelet. I look at her with a half-smiley expression. It's not really a smirk because I am off guard, but I just respond with a questioning tone, "Okay?"

"The wallet can be storage for tickets to any movies ya'll go to together. The picture frame can be loaded up with all sorts of pictures of the pair of ya'll, and this here…" She picks up the modest box wit the chain bracelet in it, "…this can be turned into a bracelet. You can decorate it with things he likes about you. It seems kooky, I know, but I made one for my fiancé last year and he loved it so much that he started one for me. It makes me feel whole when he ain't 'round." I nod along with her as she's explaining everything. She starts to ring it up and the price sort of blows me away. It's far more than I had wanted to spend but I'm already sort of attached to these hodge podge items being a more serious purchase. She asks me to go grab a single charm to start for free.

I go to the rack where she pointed me and start looking for a single charm to start the bracelet. When I'm glancing through the hundreds of options I think of something that is very distinct about me. Generically speaking, it's probably my love of art. However, I know that I want to try to do something more unique than that. I actually feel like I have to do something more specifically related to me. A number of things could remind Lucas of me. Somehow, though, nothing sticks out right now when I need it to. It isn't until a see little yoga charm. Yoga is one of the classes I teach and I know that since he likes calling me Project Fitness that I am the only person he will associate with this posing figure. I take the charm from the tiny rack and spin around to go check out. That's when the representative shows up with a bag and a gift receipt. She pushes it into my arms with a grin, "Merry Christmas."

The air doesn't escape me – it down right jumps out of me. These items were on the more expensive side. I know she paid for these, there's no other conclusion that could be made. I frown, I laugh, I frown. When I look back up at her she actually – for real – comes over and hugs me.

"Ya ain't from 'round here but you came for him. Yer special to him. I can just tell. This is my way of giving back to love the way it's given to me." Now I am hugging her back. Why I am doing this is honestly beyond my mental capacity because this is _not_ the experience you get at the mall in New York. Not even when it's holiday season! When she pulls away she puts her hand over my cheek and then wishes me 'Merry Christmas' once more before I leave the store feeling hazy.

After this I am finally getting to the store on the other side of the parking lot where I see Conner pushing a dirt bike to his truck. I have a bunch of bags so I can't run to meet up with him. That's a lie, I could run but I choose actively to not do this. When I finally catch up to Conner he explains that Les decided to buy this as a 'welcome home' gift, even though it's being presented as a Christmas present.

"Hmm. I never thought of Ranger Rick as a dirt bike rider." I remark pleasantly. This is actually sort of adorable information because it gives Lucas an edgier side that I always suspected was there. The proof was never there, though. I like this a lot.

"He's wanted a dirt bike for years but Les refused to give in – always thought Lucas wasn't grounded enough. Sure the boy is smart but can he really judge when a jump or a trick is too much for him to handle? He's smart as they come, honest, but the boy doesn't typically play it safe when he wants something. In some cases – like with you – going all out is awesome. When trying to put a good future ahead of him, Lucas needed to play it safe.

"College is a big money and a big commitment. The way statistics look today, more than two thirds of students graduating college aren't finding jobs for a year or longer. Those who are finding jobs are increasingly reporting that they aren't paid nearly as much as they are led to believe as their finish their degrees. Less than ten percent of people with a master's degree or less make enough money to pay back the loans they took out before they die. Lucas didn't prove to his father that had the restraint necessary to do something like dirt bike riding. So many young boys around here are breaking bones, getting paralyzed, and some even die, because they're doing these radical tricks. They think they'll get famous. The last thing Les wanted Lucas to do was getting caught up in the idea that he could become a professional rider." As I'm listening to Conner tell me about Les' worries for Lucas I start to think about how little I actually know about Les and Conner and Lucas and how they all work together and interact among one another. It's adorable hearing Conner tell me that Les gets worried for Lucas in the important ways that I know his mother does not.

"You an Les must be very close for him to tell you that." It would be weird if I do not actually respond to the statements. My only option is to try to make it a little more lighthearted and honest. I see Conner glance over at me, chuckling softly.

"We're like a family, us three. When we have nothing else, or nobody else, we always work through it on the ranch – and I think that's why Lucas wanted to come back so badly. He thought he had nothing else in New York. Not even in Riley." For a second I feel hurt. Lucas really had no idea that he felt this way about me until we came down here. My heart kind of screams inside of me… I'm actually not sure whether this is a good thing or a bad thing…

I toss it out of my mind. These last few days – no drama. I don't want the drama, man. I just let a smile spread across my lips and crank up Conner's radio.

* * *

><p>AN: So this chapter is nothing like the original I outlined. Fun Fact time :):)

In the original outline I had Maya and Conner arguing about what she should buy for Lucas. There was a lot of Maya and Conner chit-chat, but it wasn't really substantial. Literally, like, the only important thing that happened was Maya chose a lame christmas card with a cowboy hat on top of a Christmas tree that said something really tourist-like and boring. Then she got the Ranger tee, which I decided to keep in this much better version.

If you can't tell - I'm telling you the original version was crappy. In fact, it sucked so bad in the outline that I was going to make Ch. 13 out of 2 mini chapters because I didn't think I could turn the concept into something better. Anyway, it's better. And you liked it.

You liked it enough to review, right?!


	14. Friar Family Get-Together

A/N: This chapter is going to be 'sporadic' because there are going to be small jumps ahead in time as well as some jumps from POVs – haven't don't that for a few chapters so I wanted to put up a warning before you started reading :)

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Friar Family Christmas Get-Together

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I check myself in the mirror. Conner walked me straight upstairs after Lucas dismissed himself to be cleaned up after we set the dining room and the living rooms for the guests. He reminded me that the dinner party was really more of a family gathering. When I pulled out jeans and a nice shirt he neatly folded everything back up.

_"What should I wear, since you know so much about this?"_ I had not been prepared for the truth. There would be more than two dozen people coming to visit and there would be a gift exchange. I am still frowning through my 'natural look' make-up that Riley had walked me through. She's on the screen behind me as I stare into the reflective glass showing me just how girly and 'proper' I look.

"Riles… I don't want to go do this." I announce.

I my screen delay even though she's speaking, "Well you have to do it. You're his guest so you kind of owe it to him."

"I look like a right and proper bonnie lass who should be fanning off the vapors of walking the good ole ranch borders talkin' bout latest scandal in the mayor's office." The thickness of my Southern accent is borderline between comical and authentic. I nod approvingly at myself, thinking that Lucas would have been proud of my great efforts.

Riley leans off screen and starts putting her own make up on using her mini-screen. She compliments my acting, or mocking, she notes she can't tell when it comes to Lucas because the friendship makes the who thing very confusing. Regardless, she doesn't linger on the topic, "Maya – you look fantastic. Besides, you're meeting his family as a friend visiting. There isn't a thing to worry about when they think you're a lean, mean, city slicker."

"I'm ending the call, Riley. Your attempt to say something witty was just so bad. I need some alone time to process the lameness of it. My smooth comeback glands are mourning the death of yours. I love you." I say all of this so quickly that Riley's screen doesn't even move as I exit our call program. No sooner is my computer closed is there a knock at my door. I trace my own body once more in the mirror across the room. I'm wearing this lacey, frilly, cream colored dress with golden glittery sleek Greek sandals – a shoe that is not in style anywhere _except here_. I walk to the door with the fakest smile on my face.

It melts away when I see Lucas sporting some messy hair, a white short-sleeved button up and khaki slacks. He looks like a grown-up version of the boy I stared at during our entire eight-grade graduation. He hands on the back of his neck waiting for me to say something but I don't. Yep, I'm just staring again. Just staring and thinking that I'm in for a very interesting evening…

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I am standing next to Lucas, elbows brushing against each other. We're hanging out on the porch, welcoming people in and taking their shawls, hats, purses, presents, and what-have-yous. After Lucas' grandmother, a surprisingly fit woman I met in passing a few days ago, waddles inside with Lucas I grab my phone and text Riley.

**Me: Lucas told me about this family thing.**

**Me: He did not tell me it was like *****the* event of the year.**

Riley answers straight away so I think it is safe to say that she's not busy. I read her message and try to enjoy the free moment. There's nobody driving up at this point in time, so casual conversation by draw my attention away from the daunting evening that is about to ensue.

**Riley: I didn't even know his family did anything.**

**Me: He mentioned over breakfast a few days ago.**

**Riley: Didn't you ask questions about it then?**

**Riley: NVM. I know you wouldn't do that.**

**Me: I thought it was like grandaprents.**

**Me: Riley – there's like 30 people here.**

**Riley: Enjoy it, girl. Friar Family Fun, right?**

**Me: Lucas is staring… he's whispering…**

**Me: "MAYA GET OFF YOUR PHONE!"**

**Me: He's not whispering… He's also not asking…**

**Me: GOOD BYE RILEY! (This is Lucas)**

I don't even really fight Lucas when he shoves my phone into his own pocket. I push him lightly but he grabs my arm and loops his own into it. Even though I know I should probably not, I willingly lay my head on his shoulder. It was once an innocent gesture made between friends, but when I do it now I know it is more. This was meant to show some level of affection.

"You don't need your phone tonight. Besides that, Riley would have eventually asked you about her plans with Derrick." When I hear him mention Derrick I am surprised. I turn a little to look at him and catch his bright blue eyes staring at me completely unaffected by the fact that Riley was hanging out at a party with a different boy. But, I guess, it's not all that different from what we were actually playing at, so…

I roll with it, naturally.

"She would have eventually mentioned this Derrick. She says they are just friends, though. That's always best for Riley. There is absolutely no way she can overthink things if everything is platonic or sporadic. Noncommital. That's my girl." I praise the way Riley had been with Derrick. Even though my attention has been firmly glued to Lucas, only ever loosening to really talk to Conner about Lucas, I haven't failed to notice Riley's growing interest in this Derrick the Waiter.

Derrick and Riley have been hanging out here and there all throughout the school break. She hasn't posted pictures of them hanging out, though, so I wasn't sure that it was really anything worth keeping up on the details with – he was probably just one of her new friends to be added to list of people who adore Riley because she's a sweetheart.

"For once I think your influence on her has been positive." Lucas jokes, but we both know he doesn't really mean it. Even though I was a 'rough and tough' kind of kid in junior high the streak ended in high school. I'm not the smartest, quickest; I'm not the most motivated or most compassionate; but I was always willing to try. The sarcasm didn't stop. The bullheadedness was unchanged. But I was hardly the "juvenile delinquent" that my school records had described me as these days.

Conner comes out just them and says that Les doesn't believe anyone else is coming for the evening. Whoever we were apparently waiting on just called and said he's got a fever, preferring to stay home that risk making everyone ill. I think this is silly. Doesn't everyone have a bit of a fever in this place? No matter how nice it is here there is a level of heat that surely could make someone believe that they have a fever.

Regardless, Lucas and I head inside so that he can start telling me what to expect during the dinner. I am not entirely sure this will be as fun as he is assuring me it will be but I know I really have no other choice than to trust him. When I pass Conner he hands me a shot glass, whispering "Whisky" as he passes by. Lucas takes it form instantly, "You won't need this."

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Before I start talking I make Maya promise not to leave my side. I only do this because I kind of know my night's plans. I also know that people are asking if Maya is my girlfriend. It is my selfish way of thinking, which Conner and Dad both encouraged me to embrace, that if enough people _insinuate_ that we are a couple – well – then maybe Maya will be more open to the idea of us being a couple. Right? This is going to work because I'll have to make it work. Besides, Maya has already shown some slack on the matter. She's not walking away from me and saying right on my arm.

"See the guy in orange?" I point over to a larger gentleman. Maya nods at me. If you miss him, honestly, you're blind. He's the only man in orange, and he's also a lot heavier set than anyone else in the room I'm directly Maya's attention towards, "That is my Step-Uncle."

"You're probably going to have a lot of uncles, aunts, greats, cousins, and more. You feel like giving me a name, Huckleberry?" Her voice taunts me in various fashions, but mostly it just mocks me for not feeling the need to identify people by name. We both know exactly why I did not offer the name right away and why even now I am hesitating.

With closed eyes I just say it, "Uncle Merle."

Her squeaky cackle brings joy to me that I don't know I was ever able to live without. Although, I know I never really did. She was always in the background ready and willing to banter with me. It reminds me that in the spring I'll be leaving her behind in New York. For a second while she's chuckling at Uncle Merle I wonder if I'm making the wrong decision by returning to Texas after all.

"Sorry. That was not nice." Her lips are twitching as she tries desperately to not grin, which we both know will lead to laughter. As she leans in closer I rush myself onto the next little story.

"So those two, the poodle twins?" I don't have to point because I can see Maya's already facing them. It allows me to watch her expressions change as I'm speaking to her. It's a wonderful thing to watch someone you care about as they process different things, and since I know Maya is going to genuinely enjoy my monologue there is nothing that could be more pleasant.

"Poodle twins. Yes. They look like poodles." I actually bend my knees a little and puff my cheeks out in an attempt to not follow her lead. Loud snickering will not draw the attention that I was staging us for, and this is literally the only thought that keeps me in check. But I do use the opportunity to lean _even_ closer into Maya. I see her shiver as my breath hits her neck.

"That's Clara and Martha. They're my age and once in elementary school they both actively protested during reading time because they argued that Teen Vogue was suitable material for 'young women in the early stages of puberty.' This was a week long event and they even wrote essays which they passed out like flyers to the fourth and fifth grade girls." As I share this story with her she has to pull her face away from view. This causes her to pull her arms around her chest as she basically slams her head against the wall. Conner is passing by again and hands me a shot of Whisky this time. I throw it back and step away to set the shot glass on a nearby end table.

When I step back to Maya I start rubbing her back. My Great Aunt Laurel stops and starts to ask a question but I diffuse her before she gets talking…

"Oh it's a lady thing. Emotional. We had to stop on our way to the chocolate cake." She covers her mouth faster than I can blink. Laurel has always been more conservative than the conservatives in the southern states. I am actually convinced that she is the Mother of Conservatism. So she's probably thinking I'm really crude and violating Maya's personal business.

Maya knows the lie I've told and walks with me into the kitchen where the desserts are waiting neatly on the table, which rests against the furthest wall right in line with the back door. Dad is in there with Conner.

"What brings ya?" Dad questions as he's throwing back his own shot. Conenr follows in unison. The turn around from two nights ago is ridiculous, but the supervision makes a huge difference. Besides, Dad both loves and dreads the Christmas Eve Party we throw every year.

"Aunt Laurel was going to try talking to us. Maya was laughing at Clara and Martha." Conner immediately asks about elementary school and their silyl protest. Maya cannot hold it together and just sits against the counter next to me. Dad passes her a shot glass but warns her it is filled with water because he can't encourage a child that is not his to drink. She sets it on the counter with a polite smile.

"So have you told her about your summer girlfriend and now cousin?" Maya covers her mouth. Even though I am watching her go from amused to horrified to appalled to understanding very, very rapidly none of it is really off-putting. My hand instinctively raises and points at Conner even though my gaze is on Maya.

In the last seconds before I offer an explanation I jerk my chin up and stare down Conner as I now explain to Maya what had happened. "She moved down from Oklahoma. I dated her for like three weeks. Her mom starting dating Uncle Ernie after I went back to New York! You make it sounds like I was fully aware that she would be my cousin when I married her. That's not it. That's not what happened!" I don't notice that I'm almost shouting when I'm done. Dad decides to leave after that, mentioning that he needs to set up the gift exchange for the kids. He asks me to join him. I walk over to Conner and ask him to keep an eye on Maya, who is cawing at me to not date my cousins while I'm out and about.

If I didn't know better, I'd think that she was trying to piss me off.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

As soon as Lucas is out of the room I turn and snatch Conner's arm. He grins at me and skips the formalities, "All of the kids 17 years and younger get to pick on present under the gift exchange tree, except Lucas. He gets to choose one form the personal tree because he is one of the hosts. He already told me he is going to pick yours."

Mine is a mess of silly things, I know this. I also know that I need to ensure that Lucas opens my gift in privacy. I regret putting it underneath the tree now. Conner realizes this and he gets really close to me, hugging me into his chest very tightly.

"What's it going to take for you to switch my stuff with Les' stuff?" I question delicately. As he's patting my back I start to sense choppiness in his movements. When I pull away he's wearing a crooked smile that I know is mischievous.

Conner offers his arm to me and I figure that I'll just take it. As we step into the hallway he tells me that he could probably keep his mouth shut for a small price. I stop him and ask him to grab the bags discreetly while I grab my wallet. I start towards my bedroom immediately, telling Les that I am making a trip to the 'powder room' to 'touch up' along the way. Conner catches up to me only a few minutes later.

"What do I owe you for your services?" I ask hesitantly, wondering if he had actually done what I asked. He opens Les' bag to expose my gifts inside. I point at Lucas' door, telling him to put the present in his closet. When he comes back out he tells me he was thinking that twenty bucks ought to do it.

"It was twenty bucks to swap the gifts. It's another twenty for hiding it." I suck my bottom lip in and shake my head. I should have known he'd swindle me for more cash but I do not complain. He just saved me a lot of humiliation. I return to my room quickly and fetch another twenty dollar bill for Conner who abandons me the very second I hand him the cash.

"Boys." I mumble gently. Stomping in what I consider to be a pleasant manner back downstairs. By the time I get downstairs there's a little bit of commotion. When I get close enough to peak around the corner I see that the gift exchange is taking place. Glancing around the room I can't pinpoint Lucas or Conner. I only see Les handing out random pieces of paper with numbers on it. This isn't my family to I start to wander away from the scene, thinking all the while that a swing on the front porch swing sounds delightful.

Just before I enter the foyer I hear Conner say, "I'll need forty bucks for the whole deal." I am curious what kind of deal he's cutting with Lucas now. However, I know my gift is hidden. I am further comforted by the fact that Les is now calling for Lucas to come into the main living room so that they can get the gift exchange rolling. Just after Conner stuffs his pocket I do the whole "I'm watching you" spy hand motion.

When Conner approaches me he assures there's nothing to worry about, "I lied to you. He had no idea which present was yours. He just paid me to find out which one was yours. After he paid me for that I asked about his present… convinced him that he should put it in your room. Told him that would be another twenty."

"Watch out city slicker. Sounds like you're a natural conman and I'd to have to break out my bad girl personality to get your ass in check." Even though I am threatening him I am also giving him a high five with a grin planted deliberately on my lips. I usher myself outside to enjoy a bit of fresh air while the family shares their intimate moments together, Conner included because he earned the right to be present quite some time ago.

I really don't want to actively get lost in my head so I start singing a lame song I knew from a few years ago, changing the words to it so that I wasn't worrying about how long the exchange was taking…

_Forgot to feel it_

_ But it's flooded back, and you'll steal me_

_ If I give you the chance_

_ We can see it_

_ As clear as the rain falls._

_ Somehow you lost it_

_ Not longer held her hand_

_ When you lost it_

_ At my door you'd stand_

_ I was always waiting_

_ As sure as the rain falls._

I can't sing any further, as much as I would love to continue singing to pass the time. I thought I was doing a pretty fantastic job, actually. However, Lucas comes flying out the front door with Conner and Les not far behind. Since the porch wraps around the side of the house I decide to clear out before more people rush outside to see Lucas enjoying his dirt bike.

As I'm waiting though, I decide to continue singing under my breath. It distracts me from how clearly attractive Lucas is as he's riding around and around the house, enjoying his new favorite activity as energetically as anyone trying something new would.

_You're just a guy_

_ Never blinked an eye_

_ I watched you find_

_ My heart and soul as you fell_

_ You're a good man_

_ You're my best friend_

_ But I love you too much to tell_

The beat of the next verse kind of throws me off as does the clapping and cheering around the corner. In the same sneak manner I've been executing with precision all evening, I slip back into the crowd and observe that Lucas is putting the dirt bike in the detached garage-slash-barn-slash-shed structure that I actually hadn't much noticed until we brought the bike home earlier today.

Lucas shouts at me to wait for him. Conner and Les come up behind me, each embracing me lovingly. Les thanks her for the mastermind of her gift switch. He said that hearing everyone praise him for the great son he has, it was unmatched by any other moment in his life and only expects Lucas' high school graduation to surpass the perfectly planned moment. Conner raises his brows rapidly knowing that the 'moment' I created for Les was not actually my goal. Regardless, at least it had a pleasant outcome for all.

Conner throws up a wave at Lucas who is jogging up to the porch now. I'm waiting at the top of the store stairwell with crossed arms. When he stops at the foot of the stairs he mocks me, even grimacing his face to make a point. Realizing when I'm making these grumpy faces is impossible but at least Lucas can assure a grin will find itself in my expression whenever he is around.

"Can I trouble you for a moment alone, ma'am?" Lucas does his fake hat tipping gesture at me which makes my heart beat faster. It's honestly not the request that has me up in arms. When he does his sarcastic volley I can't help but weaken just a little. I say he can't play the game right but he does it better than anyone else could ever hope to achieve.

"I think I can agree to that, sir." When I curtsy Lucas picks me up by my waist and holds my dress down as he carries me through an empty hallway into a "front room" just a little ways away from the front door. I should have been worried about the conversation about to ensure but I am actually just pleased that I can keep track of all the different rooms there are!

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

As soon as we're in the room I set Maya down on the single chair in the room. I close the door and lock it to sort of make my point that I'm not letting her leave. When I turn around I am surprised to see she isn't even resisting my attempts to have a serious conversation with her.

"I doubt Dad told you but he cried a little when I got off the bike. He did not think making a spectacle of it would be gratifying. He was wrong. But you… you were very right." My feet carry me to her, hands going directly to her shoulders. She does not shift underneath my touch which is a world ahead of what I had been expecting. This is going surprisingly smooth in comparison to the bet I actually made with Conner.

I am a terrible guy. Conner and I made a bet while some of the cousins were opening gifts. The unofficial challenge started as a joke when one of the boys got mistletoe briefs as his gift. _You can't get her into the mistletoe room._ It was a joke but I accepted it as a challenge for very selfish reasons. Conner then ups the ante by betting twenty bucks that I couldn't successfully put my lips on her face. Since this was kind of my goal anyway I decided that I may as well see if I can make a profit on it. I'm awful.

I'm trying to justify this but it's so borderline abuse that I kind of want to out myself to Maya immediately. But I decide to justify my actions by the level of chemistry between us. While she looks up at me I can't deny that regardless of the bet I would still be doing exactly what I'm doing now.

"I assure you that my intentions were not selfless in the slightest. Can't even pretend it was anything close to selfless. You know me." She seems to get lost while she's speaking but she places her hands over mine consciously. I do not know what to expect, honestly.

So I wiggle my mouth around in what I know is an incredibly odd fashion before responding, "It doesn't really matter if you did it for yourself or if you did it for him. All that matters is that you really made him feel like a proper parent. He struggles a lot with the fact that I'm off in New York so this boosted his ego significantly."

Maya delicately lifts herself. I don't consciously shift with her, but out hands end up laced together just below our waists. Daring to get closer, I push myself a few inches forward so that when I look down just a tiny bit to look at Maya dead on my chin brushes her nose. I catch her smirk at the tickle it causes.

"Well, you're welcome for my being selfish." She jokes. This is my window of opportunity, and I know it immediately. I break away from her grip and point with one hand straight up above us… revealing the mistletoe that I got us positioned under with perfect swagger.

When she lets out a shrieking laughter I wonder for a moment if anyone will come knocking. When she jumps backwards a little in an attempt to negate the 'effect' of being under a mistletoe it seems only appropriate to close the gap between us. I place my hands on her neck and hip respectively hoping to get into a perfect smooching position but she covers her face. She's laughing so I know she doesn't mean the action menacingly.

As Maya pulls her hands away I try to get a kiss on her cheek but she twirls around and manages to push me backwards enough to throw off my balance. As I'm falling to the ground I grab her arm and bring her down with me. When our bodies both fall flat on the ground we cannot stop laughing. We are literally curled up and rolling against one another as we just get caught up in the moment.

It isn't until we gain some self-control again that we just lay still for a moment. Her eyes are on my lips with a glaze of curiosity. It hurts to see that she is still hesitant and unsure about the great romance that we could share. Honestly, I do not blame her and know that I can't force her to accept the mutual feelings that we have now. Even if I want to kiss her as desperately as I need to breathe it would just be wrong to do it when she is not ready. So, I settle for something else.

A moment later I place a tender kiss dangerously close to the corner of her mouth. An audible gasp escapes Maya's lips but I ignore it. Saying something about it would make her uncomfortable so I respect her privacy. I'll let her believe I was too nervous to notice. I'll tell her after the fact when she opens up to me about it.

"So where did your gift actually end up?" I break the tension with a serious yet lighthearted question. She props herself up on her elbow and places a hand cautiously over my stomach. Her fingers are drumming out a slow beat to what I assume is a Christmas song she can hear playing outside of the room. It doesn't take too terribly long for her to respond to my inquiry.

"In your closet." Her words a simple and blunt.

"Conner played us so bad." I admit aloud. Maya just nods at me, which makes me feel like an idiot. How did I not see that he was just trying to hit us up for cash? That should have been as clear as day to me. And now, since I did kiss her face I owe him another twenty bucks. He is almost a hundred dollars richer for just using our drama to make a profit. I know I can't be mad, though, because he did get caught in the middle of it and deserved some sort of recompense.

"So you must know that I had your gift moved too?" It's a question that doesn't sound like a question. She understands me, though, and nods her head. When she admits that Conner let her in on the arrangements… This is so silly. At least it's not a dramatic kind of silly now. We're having honest fun with each other. This has been the single most memorable Christmas Eve of my entire life and I'm tickled to have shared with Maya Hart.

A few minutes later we straighten ourselves back out and get ready to leave to room. Before I unlock the door I lean down to Maya for a hug. As I'm wrapping my arms around her I make sure to whisper in her ear very important parting words, "You know that you're going to get more and more lax as the days pass. I won't have to pretend I'm not head-over-heels for you very long."

The way she storms away from me is definitely the most adorable thing I've seen throughout the entire vacation.

* * *

><p>Disclaimer: The song I wrote the song Maya is singing to herself is to the beattune of "Geronimo" by Sheppard. If you haven't heard it already, give a listen. This song brightens my day every time I hear it. It wakes me up when I start feeling tired throughout the day. It's just a great song. It reminds me of Lucas and Maya all the time, honestly. Just the vibe and mood it sends off with its musical fantastic magic.

Also - I hope you loved this chapter. There was a teensy-weensy bit more Lucaya, which some people have been hoping for. I think this chapter is littered with cute little moments to satiate your needs as a shipper and reader. But man oh man - I'm not even close to being done with this story. I've got much more that I want to do and I appreciate all of you sticking around through this slow building story. I did not realize it would be at this pace until I started typing the last couple of chapters. Please review because I get these email notifications when I wake up first thing or right before I go to bed. It really has an impact, honestly. It means a lot to me to know you're reading.

You're great, not just for reading, but just because. You're wonderful and don't you dare forget it.


	15. Girl's Christmas Day Surprise

A/N: I should learn to keep my mouth shut. This story is always evolving and changing as I go. This is not at all how I planned the chapter. In fact, I condensed a timeline of two days into this chapter so that I could really make it more meaningful. Also, I added a bit to the end that I had been reluctant to include so - what I consider to be - very early in the story. However, it's not that early to you seeing as the story is over 35,000 words!

Anyway, I do want to disclose that there is a mention of an original character's death. It's not very graphic, but it is mentioned. It's not Derrick or Conner, so don't go skipping this chapter or anything. It's a character development layer, if you will. More people have been reading later but fewer have been reviewing. I don't know the balance but keep in mind - I love reviews because I'm selfish and I love the validation! Anyway (again)... Please enjoy :)

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Christmas Day :)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I am sitting on top of my head pillow with a decorative pillow pressed against my stomach. My back is pressed perfectly against the headboard and I am chattering my teeth in what I imagine is a "thoughtful" manner. The black box with matching soft black tissue paper is sitting unwrapped in front of me. This was Lucas' gift to me: a silver bracelet decorated with heart-shaped gems. Oh, those gems just so happened to be my birthstone. Inside the box was piece of notebook paper folded up. I was not intending to read it but after look at the lovely jewelry piece a thousand times from a thousand angles I finally just unfold the paper and see what Lucas had to say…

**_Maya – I don't want this note to be cheesy. I don't want to write about how much I like you or talk about what a holiday gift it is to have you here with me. Instead I just want to remind you of something that I'm not sure you know. I want you to remember when you look at this bracelet that you deserve to be alive._**

**_ And more than that – you deserve happiness. Whatever makes you happy – go for it. Everything is going to feel scary the first time you do it but confidence and persistence goes a long way. Not too long ago you told me I had to do what I felt was right for me. So now it's my turn to give you advise._**

**_YOU__ARE__WORTH__IT__ !_**

"Goddamn it, Friar." I whisper to myself. I was wearing my jogging clothes to bed but suddenly I feel as though it were for a reason. Leaving the bracelet on the center of my bed I grab my phone and a fresh pair of socks. I'm going out for a run.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_ Lucas posted pictures of his favorite gift. It was a tee shirt. It was a tee shirt, I shall amend to say, that was __obviously form Maya.__ Sometimes I can't tell if Lucas is just trying to push Maya's buttons the same way she pushes him or if he's just flirting with her. I should not suspect ex-boyfriend of flirting with my best friend because that just makes me sound like a paranoid crazy ex-girlfriend – which I'm not – obviously. I mean, I've been on three "friend dates" with Derrick since we met last week. I'm clearly over Lucas._

_ But I am watching him closely and it just looks like he's trying desperately to get Maya's attention. I can't find any traces of her satiating his need, though, but she barely answers her texts in a timely fashion let alone updates her social media accounts. When I do ask her questions about Lucas she sounds like her usual self. Frustrated, irritated, disinterested. I wonder how Maya would feel if I make a joke about Lucas liking her? I did just open all of my presents so I could probably … I'll do it now…_

_I'll BRB diary…_

_..._

_..._

_..._

**Me: MAYA HART! LOOK AT THESE CUTE SHOES!**

*** SMS message sent successfully**** ***

**Maya: Those look like Riley shoes for sure.**

**Maya: Les got me some paints and canvases. Usual Maya stuff.**

**Me: Derrick even left a card after he dropped me off last night.**

*** SMS message sent successfully ***

**Me: And yes, those are adorable pink elephant earrings that you see taped to the inside of the card.**

**Me: And yes, I am absolutely putting them on as you respond to these messages.**

**Maya: You and Derrick getting pretty serious, huh?**

_Diary, Maya plays this game better than I do. I am going to fail miserably. It is going to be really obvious that I'm asking. How am I supposed to find out what's going on if I can't keep myself together when she starts asking me questions? I just need to go for it, right? Right? Yes. Do it – Riley – do it._

**Me: We're not getting serious. We just get along really well.**

**Maya: Whatever kid. You like him!**

**Me: That would be like me saying you like Luke.**

**Maya: I do like Luke.**

**Maya: At least enough to come to Texas with the goofy cowboy.**

_So basically I got nowhere with Maya. I worked in a smooth comeback and she took it as a joke. Maya cannot like Lucas. If she liked him she surely would have slipped up. Right? You know what? It doesn't matter. Maya is having a great time. Lucas is _obviously _enjoying himself. I am just going to get dressed and ready for the evening dinner with the rest of our lovely Matthews family…_

…_also, Derrick text me and said he's passing through the neighborhood to his grandmother's place and picked me up a coffee. I'm going to go meet him in the lobby and put my not-obsessive-ex-girlfriend worries behind me!_

_Yours,_

_Riley xo_

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

When I throw myself through the door I nearly run over Les who is on his way outside. He asks me, just to start a conversation, how long I stayed up with Lucas last night. I shrug my shoulders and ask him if Lucas is awake yet. When he nods I don't have to ask the next question. He had not text me straight away so he must be with the livestock.

"Only got three more days here, right?" Les asks as watches me catching my breath and kicking my shoes off. I can't get the words to roll off of my tongue so I just bob my head around. I feel the edge of my ponytail brushing my neck. He sighs softly, "I suppose I better take you kids out to a fancy restaurant before you head back then. You know, as thanks for being such great kids while you were out."

The smirk that decorates my lips is so full of pride. My heart swells up three sizes I'm sure when I tell Les he's wrong. "Lucas is a young man. He's been a great young man."

Les grabs my shoulder and pulls me into a hug. I hear him sniffle loudly into my ear. There's a delicateness to him in this moment that I've not experienced yet. Although, I am not surprised by his vulnerable moment, because he loves his son with everything he's capable of. Well, I'm not until he's whispering behind me.

"And you're such a great young woman. You make him so incredibly happy. Everyone should experience love like this." My body is limp evening my brain is racing. Les just says casually that Lucas and I are in love. I am not sure how to respond to this. How does one respond to a statement like this? I haven't even _kissed_ Lucas yet let alone decided that I love him. It's crazy but I don't disagree.

Why do I not do this? Why am I not actively squashing this idea?

But I think my actions speak for themselves when I hear Lucas' voice behind us in the kitchen.

"IS MAYA HOME YET?" I whip around so quickly that I nearly knock over Les. He chuckles and says he'll be back a little bit later. He is volunteering at the retirement home his great-granddad is staying at; something he does every Christmas I've found out.

My feet carry me quickly to the kitchen where Lucas is washing his hands. I go up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist. This is the most forward I've been with Lucas the entire time that we've been here. Last night we sat too close and held hands awkwardly, sometimes turning and staring at each other without a single word to say. Now, though, that we know what our gifts to one another are each it seems silly to not be carefree at this point.

"Well, well, little lady, might ask to what I owe the pleasure?" Lucas spins under my grasp and hugs me right back. I lay my head on his chest and keep my true worries locked behind my teeth. He was right. I am loosening up to the idea and I'm basically going to have to be completely crazy to think Riley won't notice something different between us.

There's no reason why I've just come up to him in this way. I just felt like it. And even though this disturbs me a little my face betrays me and sneaks a wide, toothy grin. So, I guess whatever guilt I still have remaining is hibernating until we have to return to New York. So, again, I remind myself that I have no reason to reserve myself at this point. I _need_ to embrace it – no matter how short of a time frame I have to do so, "Because you're… … … handsome?"

My nose wrinkles with distaste and his forehead wrinkles with joy. This is the kind of bond we've always had so I hardly feel any different with him. I feel a thought tickling at the back of my head, very reminiscent of what Les had been speaking to me about earlier. I don't let it emerge. That would probably ruin the – well everything - that I _don't_ have with Lucas yet. He reaches his hand up and starts patting my head.

"That was a mighty fine thing to say, Miss Maya Hart. I appreciate the compliment." The way his white teeth look so damn perfect like a super model's… yeah… I feel myself standing up on my tippy-tippy-toes just so I can see the way they fit in his mouth behind his lips that are stretched very thin again them.

Wait? Why am I so obsessed with his teeth now? That's not an acceptable thing to be focused on. Stop it, Maya!

"So… what are we supposed to be doing today?" However, as soon as I start speaking I hear a door opening in the background. Quickly I step away from Lucas and press myself against the counter. As the footsteps get nearer he starts to whisper sideways at me.

"We have to wait and see. But first, I think Conner has something he wants to talk to you about." Lucas grabs my wrist and sits me at the table. I am confused as to why this is happening but he assures me that Conner had brought up a couple of days ago that he wanted to share something personal with me. I have no idea what I should be expecting right now but I know it can't be anything too awesome because Lucas leaves to room. He said he's going to just change his clothes but there's this shift, an unseen movement, in the air that warns me that this is not the only reason he's stepping away.

When Conner sits down at the table he doesn't even try to smile at me. Instead he pushes a photograph of a lovely young woman standing in the snow making a heart shape with her hands and a new article with the same picture next to a subway station. The article title is "Gang shoot out in Southern Chicago Subway Station."

I have to read the article twice before I realize that the girl in the picture is from Texas. Her name is Emmaline Siers and she was just twenty years old when this happened. The shoot, obviously, being the 'this' that I'm referring to; she died in the shoot out which, upon further reference, happened exactly two years ago. Now, I look up at Conner to catch a tear running down his reddening cheeks. Whoever this girl is, she meant a lot to him. I consider asking him who she is exactly, but I figure that he will tell me soon enough.

I slide the items back to the center of the table and lean in, offering my hand to him as the only form of comfort I know I can offer him.

"Em was in her senior year when I was a sophomore in high school. When she graduated and went to college we barely knew each other. Sometimes we'd see each other at the same parties but we never spoke outside of casual conversation. It wasn't until she came back from her first year of college that we got on very well. She was going to school for the same thing my parents are doing now. Em interviewed them and shadowed them for forty-eight hours just to see what her life might be like in that field. That is when we first saw each other clearly." Conner is, as I expected, filling me in on the story. However, he does pause for a moment to take my hands. I am very engrossed in what he's saying to me so I wait patiently for him to grow comfortable enough to speak once more.

"After awhile I started finding out that she was having trouble adjusting in Chicago. People made fun of her and singled her out. She was doing poorly in some of her core classes, classes she already knew she was retaking the following year. I found myself comforting her all the time. One night when she came over crying after getting an e-mail from her advisor suggesting she consider doing a different field of study to start off… I held her until she just looked up at me and kissed me. I wasn't expecting it. I never even realized I cared that much about her."

I watch as Conner pulls away. He can't speak anymore and I am completely fine by this. I don't want to know anything else. This story hurts to hear. I could only imagine experiencing it. My mind wanders to Lucas. What would happen if this happened to me in New York after he left? Would he even be able to forgive himself for letting me be so passive on our feelings, ignoring them to some degree at all times? I cover my chest with my arms and drop my chin.

This is the reason that he left the room. He wanted me to experience this on my own – no crutch. I think he may have also not wanted to hear it and start having the same worries. I do not blame him for this.

"You know, I loved Em with all of my heart. I would have sold my soul to the devil to have her for the rest of my life. I had just started attending the same college the year that she died. I had no declared major. I had no clue what I wanted to be…" And Conner's voice hitches the way I know mine would have if I were speaking, "…I just wanted to be there with her. Since this was my first year away from home my parents had made sure to take time off. I went home for the holidays but she stayed because she had an internship working nights for a news channel. She was working doing set work later than usual and had to take a different subway home."

Shit.

Now I'm crying. I hurriedly push my fingers almost into my eyeballs. This is Christmas Day and I'm not supposed to feel like a horrible person. And Conner isn't supposed to feel sad. And Lucas isn't supposed to feel scared. None of us should be feeling this way right now. Yet, somehow, _somehow_, it would be wrong if we felt any other way. I know that this is important. This moment will change us, all of us, and the way we feel about one another.

"Conner…" I try to say something but my voice is strained from trying not to cry as my emotions are commanding me to; thankfully, he hushes me with a trembling finger. Shaking his head all the while.

He reaches his hands back out and now I take them. It's pitiful that he's comforting me, but I think that's part of why he's telling me too. "Maya, when I got the call from her parents I was opening the present she had mailed overnight to me. It was a silver band with our initials on the inside. You can see her matching one in this picture. Her note asked me to wear it so I wouldn't forget her when she was away from home."

Hell. Shit. Damn. No. Nope.

I can't listen to anymore of this I will just throw myself on the ground and hide out underneath my chair, banging my head against the floor in an attempt to forget the sadness. Fortunately for my erratic brain, Conner squeezes me and grounds my mind back in the conversation that is still happening, "She meant I was her home."

"We're going to go see her grave, aren't we?" I ask slowly. Each word is deliberate; each syllable is spoken delicately. And my tone of voice… I just inquire as innocently as possible in a softer-than-angel's-breath fashion. I catch a smile tugging at the corner of his lip.

I am relieved right now that he knows I don't mean my question with any irritation or annoyance. "That would make me very happy."

And then Lucas spoils the moment a bit, stepping in with his own opinion, "You weren't going to have a choice. I decided you should go regardless of what you gathered from this story."

Conner tells me that he wants me to realize what a good thing I could have with Lucas if I just open up a little bit more. Lucas nods in agreement which is hardly a surprise. I tell Conner how gorgeous Emmaline looked in the photograph and that she is lucky to have such a wonderful man to love her with so much of himself. He thanks me for my kind words and tells me that Emmaline is his motivation to graduate with a double major in Psychology and Sociology.

I use that brief break in the seriousness to escape for a quick shower and change of clothes.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I drive Maya and Conner to the cemetery where Emmaline was buried. However, I choose to remain in the car. Partially because I need Maya to experience this alone, but also because Riley was texting me; I know it would be rude to sit on my phone during this emotional time for Conner (and Maya, honestly) so I opt to sit it out. I came here last year with Conner and did a wish balloon… thing? 

**Riley: Maya hasn't responded to my texts.**

**Riley: I sent that text twenty minutes ago.**

**Riley: And that text twenty more minutes ago.**

**Riley: It's been three hours. Maya told me she was jogging!**

**Riley: At this rate she'll be in Mexico the way that girl runs!**

**Me: Chill out. Merry Christmas, btw.**

**Riley: So you're phone isn't broken! Lovely! I was worried.**

**Me: T**

**Riley: So what's happening that you guys won't respond?**

**Riley: Is it butt kissing?**

**Riley: …you've been butt kissing Maya like crazy on QuikPiks...**

**Me: First off, it's ASS kissing. We're basically adults.**

**Me: We can say the word ASS.**

**Riley: …but you're not denying kissing Maya's…**

**Riley: …a…s…s…?**

**Me: Maya isn't even in the car. She's hanging out with Conner right now.**

**Riley: So that's why she doesn't like you.**

**Me: …..what?**

**Riley: Oh I made a joke about her liking you.**

**Riley: She basically said she didn't.**

**Riley: I couldn't figure out (until now) why because you guys looked so adorable in those rodeo pictures you posted.**

**Me: Is this an ex-girlfriend psycho mania thing that's happening…?**

**Riley: That's not what I'm TRYING to do.**

**Riley: But it might be happening against my will.**

**Riley: I'll just not going to text you now.**

**Riley: Have Maya call me when she gets a chance…**

**Me: Sure thing, Riles.**

This is the most I've spoken to Riley since the break up, honestly. I mean, we've gone out as friends with Farkle and Maya a few times. Since break happened so soon afterwards, though, it just didn't really give a window for us to remember what just being friends was like again. This conversation is about as friendly as it gets – I think anyway – because at least nobody seemed to be jealous. In fact, Riley almost seemed pretty cool about the idea of Maya and I being an item.

It almost feels like she's even encouraging it.

I hardly realize that so much time has passed by because before I can even pull open my QuikPiks app both Maya and Conner are crawling back into the truck. Their eyes are red from crying and their cheeks wet form the tears. However, they are both smiling. I start the engine in the car and reach to turn on the radio, but Maya grabs my hand and places it on her knee.

"I understand why you both wanted me to know this," she reveals gently. I actually had not doubts that she wouldn't figure it out and yet hearing her say it aloud lifts my spirits. I don't feel quite as unaccomplished as I would have expected. Maybe it's because I sense that it will bring about something good between us. Something good like… "and I'm glad that you both let me in to this part of your lives. I know how hard it is to show something so personal like this."

Something good that isn't her appreciation. Something good like…

The kiss she is pressing onto my jawline. I feel the cool, dampness of her partially separated lips puckering onto my skin just below my ear. My heart feels as though it might be stopping. I am consciously aware that I've stopped breathing. My body even tenses under the touch of her skin against my own in such an intimate way. Maya doesn't even kiss Riley's cheeks good-bye. And she cares about Riley as though they were actually sisters!

I come back into reality very quickly after she pulls away from me because I snap to look at her in disappointment. Would there be more kisses like this? Because I am not entirely sure I can live without them now.

* * *

><p>AN: And there the briefest tease of a Lucaya romantic moment that I decided last last LAST minute to throw in because it adds to the gravity of the entire scene.

So - honestly - if you're going to review - let me know what you think about Conner's over all development? He's still going to be in the story, obviously, but I've finally rounded his character out and given him the depth that I felt was needed to really justify his involvement in the entire storyline. Do you think I conveyed and groused it well enough?

I love you all for reading, thank you for sparing the time of your day on my silly story.


	16. Just Another Day in the life of Girl

A/N: This chapter wasn't in the outline. In fact, I actually struggled with this chapter because the outline jumped ahead 4 days. I wanted to sort of give the reader something to fill those four days. For all intents and purposes, this is a "filler" chapter. However, we learn more about Riley and Derrick. And there's some interesting stuff happening with Maya and Lucas. Two words: Awkward Acceptance.

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Just Another Day in the life of Girl

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I have tried hailing a cab three times in this snow but I must be too small or too insignificant for any drivers to see me. As time keeps ticking by I start pulling my coat tighter and decide to just go to the subway. I'm meeting mom at the airport so that we can fly out to California to look at a couple of homes that came onto the market. I wasn't originally supposed to go but I decided late last night when I asked Maya to call me before bed and she said she was watching a movie with Lucas.

Those two had been getting busier and busier. Maya still called at least once a day and yesterday was the first day that she had not called me at all. So I spent my morning packing my suitcase for a three-day trip to California. Mom is really excited that I've had a change of heart.

"What's a lovely girl like yourself doing on the streets of New York while it's snowing?" A very familiar voice sounds off down the street. I am actually surprised I can hear him over the snow being kicked around and the horns blaring at jaywalkers.

I shove my hands into my pockets and drop my gaze to the glistening sidewalk. Once we are in closer proximity I bite my lip before speaking up, "The same as all other lovely girls in New York. Trying to get somewhere else."

Derrick puts his arm around my shoulder and shakes me around a tiny bit. This makes me laugh offhandedly. Derrick believes that the cure to all sour moods is movement. He actually believes it so much he has a MeVideo account where he teaches people what dances will help them deal with different emotions. It's not hugely popular, but a few hundred people subscribe to it and swear by it. It's his 'spending cash.'

"Stop trying to run away from your problems. Try running to your future instead, beautiful lady." Derrick leans down and presses a soft kiss on my cheek. He then lifts his arm high in the air and hails a cab as easy as I'm blinking in shock right now. After this he walks away from me, but not before he wishes me well on my flight. I wave at him and climb into the cab without a second thought.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I'm bailing the hay for Dad since he is sleeping in later than usual because he went out drinking with Conner's parents. Maya was inside preparing breakfast. She not only sent me a text message about it but she the windows open and I could smell the sausage all the way out here in the barn. As I am doing this I got a message from Conner saying that he was going to stay in with his parents for the day.

When I finish up a few minutes later I make sure to text Maya that I'm heading inside. She tells me that she already set the small table and put some leftovers in the refrigerator for Dad. This brings a smile to my face. One thing Maya has never once neglected to do was respect my father and treat him as though he were family to her as well.

And for a second I wonder how she'd like it if he were…

…but I have to erase that thought from my mind because I'm "too young" to think like that. Dad told me that getting married right out of high school is a bad idea. Although, Conner chimed in and said he felt differently. I should stop thinking about married. I'm not even dating Maya… _yet_…

Maya is cleaning the dishes and whistling a tune that I recognize instantly as one of Dad's favorite bluegrass songs. This surprises me and I find myself just watching her from the hallway. After a few minutes she stops whistling and actually sings the words to the song. During this my Dad shows up and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"She's a good one," he whispers, "so ya best not let her go lightly." Then he interrupts her by walking in and helping himself to the leftovers. Maya realizes that he's there and gets a glass down for him and fills it with water and an Alka-Seltzer. Dad thanks her and seats himself at the table. As for me, I'm trying to figure out something to do for the day.

I pull my phone out and start trying to narrow down the cool things that I could do with Maya. We've been to a local rodeo and we've been to the beach. We've spent some nights in and gone out on others. I felt like we hadn't done enough actual fun stuff. So I have a few ideas. We can go to an art museum in San Antonio. There's a few waterparks and theme parks we could go to…

But my Dad apparently already has plans.

"I forgot to give ya'll a present on Christmas. It's a small box in the chest drawers in the dining room." I perk up and spin around to go get the box in the other room. I hear Maya questioning what it is and he assures her that it's just a small gesture, nothing for the pair of us to get all excited for. However, I know that it's probably something incredibly nice and excessive. That's how my Dad can be when he wants to make a "small gesture." He once bought Conner a plane ticket to see his parents on Thanksgiving because they were scheduled to be out-of-town for a conference. His small gestures are anything but small.

When I get back into the kitchen Maya reaches out and takes the box and points it at my Dad, "Now if this is an expensive trip to Disneyland – I'm afraid you've wasted your time, big guy."

He gets up and takes the box back from her handing it back to me instantly. Maya leans in and hugs him, thanking him prematurely. When I open the box I see two things. A pair of Six Flags all day passes for tomorrow, which is awesome. I haven't been there in ages and I'm pretty Maya's never been at all. The other thing I see is a hotel reservation for tonight and tomorrow. I slam the box shut and point so pointedly at him that I'm sure my point was made before I pointed out how pointedly I felt about this gift. Is my POINT clear?

"Absolutely not." I declare. I watch Maya grow from appreciative to confused. And then she goes from confused to startled; when she looks to me she nearly looks appalled. That was not comforting in the slightest but I wasn't going to address that here, "That is wildly expensive. Also, I think that it's a bit irresponsible of you to send two teenagers to a hotel by themselves."

Maya is nodding and shaking her head and nodding. She doesn't know what to make of the gift, I'm sure, because she doesn't like when people give her such extravagant things. Maya is the "earn it" type, still getting uncomfortable when the Matthews do something nice for her.

"Yeah, Les, that's a terrible decision. There's a very thick layer of romantic and sexual tension here. Do you really think you just throw us into the perfect environment for bad decisions?" I lose all of my breath when she says 'sexual' so openly. My dad is grinning like a madman and even starts laughing. I know my eyes are bugging out of my head, though, in just utter shock.

"_Sexual_ tension?" My squeaky voice calls out. Maya smacks my dad's arm and starts to walk past me, mumbling about needing to pack an overnight bag. I set the box down quickly and go to my dad. I wrap my arms shakily over his shoulders and shake him a little.

"That – she – there – she – _sexual tension?_" I am not sure if I'm asking, telling, or recalling what Maya had just said. That was a very serious statement to make. One that I'm not even sure is accurate. Oh gosh, what if it is accurate? How would I even know, I haven't even been close enough to kiss her actual mouth let alone experience _sexual tension_.

"It was a joke, son. I ain't worried about it. Ya'll get scared when you breathe the same air. Besides that, I booked a two-bed room. Staying overnight just assures that ya'll won't get into a car wreck…" I watch as he holds a twitching laughter back until final he covers his face and chuckles his continued thought into his hand.

"…because dying in a car wreck is forever but having a baby is only eighteen years of responsibility!" As soon as he says this he topples over laughing. I feel as though he has turned on me for the pure sense of humor that he can share with Maya. I simply huff at him and storm off to my room hoping to forget the entire conversation. It's not like I'm not aware of sex, sexual tension, sexual things, and otherwise; I just have not reached that age where joking about it casually with my Dad is comfortable. And when I do reach that age I'll probably already have children of my own. At which point, pretending to be totally unaware would be completely out of the window!

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

**Me: Hey Riles :)**

We are only about forty minutes away from our destination, but I don't feel like talking to Lucas. One, he keeps looking over at me cautiously and stumbling over his words; two, every time he says something as a joke to me he gets nervous that I'm going to think of it as 'sexual tension.'

Appropriately, I should probably tell him that it was a joke. In fact, I'm pretty sure Les told him it was a joke before we even left the ranch. Unfortunately there is just too much humor in Lucas being nervous instead of me. It would figure that as soon as I welcome the prospect of our 'coupling' with open arms he just crumbles into a corner with shock and confusion. This is probably how its bound to be forever. Luck me, though, there is at least some comical relief to be experienced throughout the cycle.

**Riley: Sorry it took me so long to reply! We were in a layover.**

**Riley: That's not the excuse! I was going to the restroom.**

**Me: Riley, you can send long messages.**

**Me: It's ok.**

**Me: I won't judge you.**

**Riley: But you hate long messages. I know this.**

**Riley: I know because you do it.**

**Me: RILEY!**

**Me: You said layover…?**

**Me: Like a plane layover?**

**Riley: Oh yeah. Mom is taking me to CA.**

A part of me panics a little bit. Okay, I'm actually panicking a lot. Riley decided to go to California without telling me. She'd mentioned that her mother was looking at houses but there was nothing concrete yet. At least I can't recall any changes in that status. I glance over at Lucas who is shamelessly lip syncing to whatever country nonsense he's got balanced to his side of the truck.

I almost decide to converse with him about Riley going to California. Almost. Instead I just carry on my conversation with her.

**Me: When did you decide to go?**

**Riley: This morning. Mom bought tickets online last night.**

**Riley: She was going to go with Dad but she asked me first.**

**Riley: …and I said yes…**

**Me: That's good.**

**Me: That's really good.**

I don't know what it is but I feel very suddenly deflated. I suppose the realization hits me that in three months my best friend is moving away for college – and for good, now that I'm thinking about it. And then two months after _that_ happens the only guy I've ever truly been interested in romantically is moving back to Texas with his father. My hand reaches over my belly as nausea starts to settle in. I wish someone had told me I was going to be in this emotional state when I had made a heavy, greasy breakfast…

"No, no. This is good," I start saying to myself, repeating more rapidly each time I repeat the phrase, "This is good. _This_ is good. This _is_ good. This is _good_." My mouth twitches into a smile even if it resides only for a second. My whole body is trembling. So much so that I'm pretty sure that my phone vibrated but I couldn't feel it.

This is when I think about the fact that Lucas must be confused. My head is tilting just enough so that I can see him, and even that requires a lot of effort that I cannot spare. Concern washes over his face. I don't really feel him jerk the truck into a side lane, and I definitely don't feel him pulling over to the side of the road. The only thing that I'm feeling is vomit coming up…

And going out…

…

…

…

…

I look at Lucas and frown when I'm sure that I've hurled everything contained inside of my body. Half of it has landed on his shoes and his shirt. I'm feeling kind of like a jerk right now but he just grabs an extra water bottle from a cooler I didn't even realize was stored behind my seat. He pours it over himself and says it will do until we can get to a gas station.

A few minutes after we've gotten back on the road I shift in my seat so that I can face him a little more directly, even though I know he cannot return the gesture. I actually like this prospect because now he doesn't have to see how mortified I am that I've just puked on him.

"I'm sorry."

Nothing could have sounded flatter or deader than the way I say this. Lucas just laughs at it, too. It makes me feel even more – oh – blah? Is blah the accurate way to describe the way I feel right now? Or would that be an overstatement of my blahness?

"It's not the vomit that concerns so much as the reason that you did…" Lucas reveals to me. Since he's asked me I just relieve all my worries through a rushed explanation. Worried, blah blah blah, scared, blah blah blah, lonely, blah blah blah, and repeat, blah blah blah. At this point, I feel like the dramatics are just cycling and shuffling themselves in a familiar pattern.

Lucky me, though, Lucas just reaches a hand over to me and fumbles around until he gets my fingers with the tips of his, at which point he pulls me just a little so that he can grasp my entire hand. The softest noise escapes his mouth, although I can't say if it's a laugh of a sigh. But he offers words of encouragement after, "We can get sub sandwiches when we get there and pretend for the next two days – for real - that nothing else matters. Because the truth is that I need it just as much as you do."

Well yippy skippy, if only I'd… wait…

I had suggested that. Lucas detects my sarcasm and reminds me, "I'll periodically do things to make you forget what goes on in that funny little head."

My natural behavior takes over and automatically responds on my behalf, "I always thought of it as bulbous and round…"

Lucas chuckles and the tension just melts away after… and he never does let go my hand either.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Maya is eyeballing me from the bathroom. She has asked me at least a dozen times to please grab her duffel bag so that she could get her underwear. I am just sitting her trying to ignore her but my giggles and smirks are betraying me. I can hear the frustration building in her voice each time she screams my full name at the top of her lungs. It isn't until she reminds me that we still need to get breakfast before leave. I actually had ate the second half of Maya's sub around five o'clock when I first woke up, out of habit, so I am not as hungry as she probably was right now.

"This is the last time I'm going to ask you, Friar. If you don't I'm going to make this all very uncomfortable very quickly!" Maya threatens me emptily. It's just another ploy to make me uncomfortable, I know it is, so I just roll my eyes and mock her, my voice as high and girly as I can manage.

"This is really the last of the last times, Friar. If you don't get me my pretty lady panties then I'm just going to keep saying stuff hoping that eventually you'll feel bad enough to get up." As proud as I am of my high-pitched voice I find when I turn my chin away that Maya was _not_ lying. She comes out with the towel tied around her hips and each hand cupping her… her…

"YOU HAVE NOTHING ON YOUR BOOBS!" I squeal. She nods her head casually. My mouth is just hanging open as I jump my gaze everywhere but on Maya. The feeling of redness filling my cheeks is unmistakable and it causes me to rush straight to the window and poke my head out of the curtain. This assures that I won't peak out of: curiosity, confusion, nervousness, or admiration. All of them are easily misinterpreted and the only respectful way to handle a situation, which I wholly admit that I instigated, is to keep my nose pressed against the glass.

Ten minutes later Maya comes up behind me and runs her fingernails down my spine playfully. We twist perfectly to meet one another's gaze, which causes us both to grin wildly. Although, I think Maya is more pleased with herself whereas I am just ashamed that I provoked provocative behavior out of Maya.

"Take me on some rolly coasters, Hee-haw." I can see her speak so effortlessly and seamlessly and in some way I see myself in her. It's almost as though she hides her nerves as well as I do in uncomfortable and stressful situations. After our drive yesterday I know that she cannot have felt confident doing what she just did with the naked breasts cover with her hands _only barely enough_. I force the memory from my mind knowing that it will betray my intentions.

"Sure think Project Fitness. But first – breakfast biscuits and gravy?" I question politely. She agrees with a nodding head. Maya swipes her phone from the bed and pushes a wallet into her hiking boots. We walk out of the room arm-in-arm pretending successfully that this is the only way for us to be right now.

…

…

…

…

Maya and I are waiting for the ride to start and we're sitting the very last cart. Neither one of us is really paying any attention to which coaster we were on now. We have been chatting most of the morning about different things. Maya shared with me some stories about Riley I never knew about, like one time she asked Maya about 'self discovery' in an 'intimate' setting. I could not help but crack up about this because even though Riley is my ex-girlfriend – she did not ever talk about _that_ sort of stuff. Maya is completely different, though, and the openness about it is incredibly refreshing. I actually don't know how I missed it before but the ability to talk about it being absent with Riley definitely has contributed to my then-developing disconnect.

Suddenly the announcer starts rolling through the pre-scripted mantra about "keeping your arms and feet inside the cart" and "please secure any loose items." Maya pats herself down. I repeat her actions… on her. It's my sneaky way of weaseling my hand back around hers. When she catches on she just shoots of my a look of "seriously, that's the best you've got?" I take this as a challenge. I can't do anything now because we're sort of moving forward and all. But – _but_ – when she is least expecting it I'll be surprising her with something less predictable.

As soon as we get off the ride I direct Maya to the nearest ice cream concession stand. There's an open area of picnics and I point her in that direction. I know that ice cream is her weakness and she loves just about any flavor. There's a waffle bowl option that I plan on getting with a variety of flavors. The line is ridiculously long, though, so I shove my hands in my pockets and nervously wait for some movement.

Five minutes passed by, now, with more progress than I have been expecting. I take the opportunity to check on Maya, who is sitting at a picnic table by herself tapping her feet on the ground anxiously. When I turn around I see that I'm the net customer up. The guy in front of me orders a bottle of water. The gal behind the cart forces an grumpy smile and hands him what he's asked for, he reaches out with a hand full of change and I have to laugh when she pushes it away with disgust on her face, "Free of charge," she mutters as he probably grins and walks away.

"Waffle cone bowl with Oreo, Cookie Dough, and Brownie Batter please." She grins at me and immediately begins gathering the supplies to produce the order. As I'm waiting for our ice cream order I decide to just watch Maya from a distance. She is nervously pecking away at the screen of her phone, occasionally glancing up in the opposite direction. We've been doing great all day – disregarding in almost every aspect the concerns that have been plaguing our minds for the majority of our vacation.

I pull my phone out and shoot a message to Conner.

**Me: Is she texting you?**

**Conner: She's texting everyone.**

**Conner: She told me that she is, anyway.**

**Me: She doesn't want to look at me.**

**Conner: I know.**

**Conner: She told me about all her FLIRTS.**

**Conner: She asked if they were GOOD FLIRTS or BAD FLIRTS.**

**Me: LMAO**

**Me: Feel free to tell her they were PERFECT FLIRTS.**

**Conner: Only if you kiss her.**

**Me: That makes no sense. Telling her would then be pointless…**

**Conner: I can't reinforce your manliness if you don't assert any.**

And with that I realize that perhaps I'm a bit of a wimp. He's right. I can't expect him to continually help me make forward progress with Maya. And… I did kind of tell myself I'd surprise her. There's not a doubt in my mind that what I'm about to do will be a surprise to her.

I set the bowl in front of me then walk around to Maya who is eyeballing me with concern. I sit next to her on the bench and gesture towards the waffle cone bowl. With pursed lips she's just nodding and looking at the bowl, occasionally turning her gaze to me with suspicion. When she cannot handle the silence and the melting ice cream she turns a little to look at me, starting a question as she does so…

"What's going on - " But I don't let her do it. Instead I lean in and kiss her square on…

…

… …. …

When my eyes open I realize that I've missed and ended up kissing _her_ eye. She's in a forced wink and I try to pull myself back. My lips remain puckered for the kiss that I failed to land properly and I just pull away slowly. She is glaring at me now with what I hope I'm reading as amusement.

"I thought you were going to bite me." She declares softly. Her hand reaches up and runs down my face. This is probably a gesture to make me stop puckering and looking like a damaged puppy – her favorite description on my expression of disappointment.

I shift myself enough to pull the ice cream nearer to us, continuing on with the topic, "Thanks for telling me you think I'm going to assault you. That's a great revelation to make… especially when I was actually trying to kiss you." I sort of nod, sort of jerk my head forefront onto the spoonful of ice cream that I've scooped up. I see Maya almost choke on hers but she follows up smoothly regardless.

"Well, I guess I owe you an apology and a favor." As soon as she said it I agree. I am nodding furiously and setting my spoon down. We turn inwards but before I can even ask she is leaning into me.

I literally cannot feel any part of my body. The closer she gets the sweeter her breath smells. The brighter her eyes look. The paler her skin looks, even after all the Texan sun beating down on her. I am so encapsulated by her Maya-esque beauty that I don't realize that she's giving my butterfly kisses until I am instinctively batting my eyelashes to defend against her assault.

We're giggling now, but I think Maya's deflection was so cute that I am just going to accept it at face value. I can see she feels nervous about the action she took but there's nothing to worry about, which I reassure with a strong arm around her shoulders, "How about that? Our first kiss was in the form of romantic eyelash combat."

Maya lays her head on my and gulps back a generous spoonful of Orea ice cream. Once she empties her mouth and lets the feeling come back after eating the cold dessert she replies quite simply. "You made that sound fiendishly intimate. And even though I should insult you for it I'm just going to let it slide. I found it strangely alluring."

* * *

><p>AN: That wasn't as terrible as my tired brain is making me think, is it? I honestly wrote a lot of this chapter in the wee-wee-WEE hours of the night and I was very concerned about the outcome. Let me know.

Also - a quick thanks to everyone reviewing. Everyone is being so positive and supportive. When I get reviews work it just brightens my day. I know it's been just over a week since I last posted but I got 6 reviews during that time. I really made going to work with a smile on much easier because I knew that at the end of the day I could do something fun that not only I enjoyed, but my readers enjoyed too. Can't wait for the new episode :):) It's almost here!


	17. Girl Goes Homes (AKA Everyone Goes Home)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl Goes Back Home

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

When we first landed Lucas and I waited for everyone to leave before we got out of our seats. He said that he didn't want to deal with the crowds all trying to get out at the same time. The flight attendant came over and flirted with Lucas but he ignored her and promptly helped me out of the seat. He made it a point to lean in and kiss the edge of my jaw just in front of my ear.

And as I am remembering this five minutes after the fact, I feel a grin curling up on my face. Ever since the eyeball kiss at Six Flags he's been planting them innocent cheek kisses on me almost every hour on the hour. It's adorable and definitely enjoyable. However, as we step back outside with our bags on a trolley and see the gray skies and the slush on the ground all I can do is frown.

"We're back home and back to normal." I declare plainly. Normally I could have mustered up some sarcasm to detract from the sad reality. This was one of those instances I couldn't find the energy or will power to down so. When I turn to look at Lucas he's pouting in one of those angry-tough-guy-cowboy kind of ways that is unique to him. I reach over and tap his forearm with my knuckles playfully, getting ready to remind him of why we agreed to these terms when we left Texas.

But he just agreed quietly that, yes, things would go back to normal. Lucas pulls me into a hug and taps my back rapidly. I can tell this is his way of deflecting so I don't try to talk to him when he starts off towards a taxi. He hands him the cash and starts putting my bags in the backseat. I follow him seconds later reluctantly. When I get to the door I decide to buy just a little time and say that I got a text message.

I didn't really get a text message but I don't want to be hanging out alone right away. Since I know Riley's flight won't be here for another three hours the only person available right away is Farkle.

**Me: Dinner place?**

**FarMinky: Sure.**

**Farminky: Chinese – veggie potstickers?**

**Me: You know me so well, Minkus.**

**FarMinky: I'll be there in thirty-three minutes!**

**Me: I'll be there eventually. Just got off the plane.**

**FarMinky: I thank you for being the rebound best-friend call.**

**FarMinky: I know you need me and that's all that counts.**

**Me: Thanks buddy ;)**

When I push my phone back into my pocket Lucas takes my right hand and starts pushing a simple ring – a silver band – over my thumb. I'm looking at it and I can see a very faint embossed image on it. It's a cowboy hat. I wiggle my lips and my noise in defiance to how I really want to react. This gift is not unlike the charm bracelet I purchased him, which he is very openly wearing right now, because it is meant to be a reminder of the person that gave it to me. I will never _not_ see Lucas when I look down at my hand as it sketches the various things that bounce around in my mind. I suppose fair is fair, but I still "boop" Lucas on a nose as a reminder of our junior high years.

"I won't argue about this but let's be clear that this is just a gift with no actual agreement of terms. It's not a promise ring. It's not a commitment to any sort of relationship. It's not a fake engagement ring. This is just a gift from you to me as an expression of... _fondness_." It isn't until I'm gasping for air at the end of my thoughts that I realize I had sped through each sentence more quickly than the one that preceded it. When I frown Lucas just puts his hands on my cheeks and shakes his head.

"I won't tell you what it's for, but I will ask that you never take it off. If you won't bend in New York then at the very least don't forget." He gives me another kiss, this time on my forehead, before he pushes me into the taxi. This time I felt like a little sibling, which was disgusting. I don't want to feel like his little sister, but what I _do_ want to feel like is not an option. At least, not for now. Maybe not ever, actually.

Farkle is sitting with a cheap plastic bag steaming and his phone pulled out scrolling through one of his many update feeds. When he hears me jangling my keys and shuffling my bags he steps up and waves his hand at me energetically.

"You got my potstickers?" I growl. The trek to my apartment was not pleasant and I am pretty sure I went through all of the stages of grieving during the ride over here. Riley text me and said that she'd be coming over soon because their last layover took off earlier than expected so she was just now landing. Farkle said he ordered for three because he'd been tracking the flight schedules on his phone, which he's now waving at me. Once inside I put a little distance between me and my friend as possible; and while setting everything on the table I got to my television and tower so that I can boot up our favorite video sharing website, some off shoot project targeted for stupid humor and musical comedy.

After I get my plate and sit with Farkle on the couch he leans really close to me and sniffs. This shouldn't surprise me but as with all things Farkle Minkus, I can't help but sigh and scoot away with a bit of concern. I am looking at him pointedly in hopes that he won't say anything to me about it. He clearly smells…

"So you and Lucas were _very_ close today." Farkles notes quietly, continuing almost silently, aware that Riley would be coming anytime, "When do you guys plan on saying something?"

I grumble and wonder if I can play off like maybe Lucas just gave me a hug. As soon as I open my mouth, though, Farkle puts a finger up to my lips and shakes his head. I won't be able to fake it at this point. Farkle obviously can tell.

"I've been hiding the fact that Lucas sleeps over here from Riley. Something was bound to spark with you guys in Texas." We are looking at each other tenderly. I suppose I should have never expected that Farkle wouldn't notice immediately. He had been very helpful when Lucas wouldn't show up at home – saying he was actually at the Minkus household. He didn't like lying about it but Farkle actually saw the potential damage it would cause, too, so he never questioned us. Besides he clearly would have been able to see when things change from just two friends to something more. I felt like a jerk in these moments but I knew I'd have to ask him again to hide the truth.

"It's not going to happen. We're here now and our friendship with Riley is coming first. Also there's no point because we are all going separate ways at the end of the year. Please don't let Riley on about it because the last thing she needs to is to question our friendships to her." Farkle just nods along. The poor kid doesn't even have to tell me that he'll agree for me to just know. I just laugh and lean over our food and hug him lightly, "Thank you, Farkle. You're a better friend than we give you credit for…"

"Farkle knows." He cackles directly into my ear. But I've come to love that awkward laugh of his so it brings me a lot of comfort.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

As soon as I walk through the front door my mom screams out of excitement. I had called her a few times while I was gone, but she was doing something for work most of the break. She hugs me and offers to help carry my bags back to my bedroom. I let her help even though I secretly don't want her to do anything. The high of the vacation with Maya is wearing off and I'm starting to sink inside myself.

"That's a cute shirt yer wearing, sugar." She comments after we set my belongings on each of my dressers. She leans against it with one hand on her hip and just eyeballs the outfit. I can see that she finds it 'adorable.' Maya thought so, too, but urged me not to wear it.

"Thanks. Maya bought it for me for Christmas." I comment slowly and deliberately. I watch her carefully to see if she'll react negatively to mention of Maya. She does wrinkle her nose but she just wiggles it out and puts a hand on my shoulder.

Her signature 'nervous' laugh comes out, the one she uses when she wants to switch topics. The laugh that Dad and I both hate so much. "I was thinking about ordering in, cupcake. How do ya feel about Chinese tonight? Momma's really cravin' some veggie potstickers…" She begins wandering off before I can even agree. It does sound good, though, so I just smile and appreciate that she's is being considerate enough to let me stay in and relax.

I close my bedroom door behind her and pull out my phone. I start flipping through all of the QuikPiks photos I posted of Maya, Conner, and myself form the vacation. We're going back to school tomorrow and things are going to be different between us two, but Maya will probably play it off like a professional actress. She is the world's best liar, after all. But it doesn't change the fact that I can't look at her the same now.

Just then a message banner appears on my phone. It's from Riley…

**Riley: Hey :) :) **

**Riley: We're having Chinese Maya's! Wanna come?**

My heart sinks when I see that they are also having Chinese food. This kills me inside because somehow even though we are apart we ended up doing the same thing. A part of me wants to cry – which is strange because I don't typically cry about things. So I just punch the nearest pillow into a comfortable state and lay down, phone dialing out to Dad.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Maybe I am a little bit of an obsessive-ex-girlfriend type. Even though I am definitely over Lucas – I actually went on an __actual__ date with Derrick (don't worry – its not serious). Anyway… tonight after I left Maya's house I heard Maya answer a call from Lucas. At least it had to have been Lucas because she said "Howdy Cowboy" when she picked up the call._

_I am probably reading too much into this but a part of me is very curious as to what happened in Texas. Farkle didn't ask about Texas even though when I last spoke to him he was excited to hear all about the trip. Maya avoided the topic other than occasionally mentioning the fact that Conner was a pretty cool guy. I knew a little bit about Conner, we'd chatted a few times on the computer, but Maya focused on the times when Conner was around. I asked her if Conner just stayed with them… She hesitated… Then she said he came over everyday and did stay a few times._

_Now – I'm not going to care what happened over the break. I am making that clear to myself right now. Lucas and Maya are allowed to do whatever they want. I love both of them and I just want them to be happy. However, I want them to be honest with me. I haven't even spoken with Lucas face-to-face but I can see that there's a secret._

_I have a sneaking suspicion that my friends don't trust me with certain pieces of information and that hurts my feelings. But if I'm ever going to find out I can't act wounded or snoopy. Instead, I have to find sly Maya-like ways to extract information. I think if Lucas and Maya would just open up to me they'd find I'll be supportive…_

_Yours,_

_Riley xoxo_

* * *

><p>AN: So the last two chapters have been lighter (the last being comical, this being short and sweet). I assure you that the future chapters will not be this way. I'm just transition back to their life at school. Needed to set some groundwork, you know?

So - how do feel about a less oblivious and worried Riley? I've really changed the way I envisioned Riley in the initial outline. I wanted her to be a worry-wart trying to figure out why Lucas was crushing on Maya. However, I think that with Riley and Derrick having an innocent connection that she'd have moved on so now we've got a more supportive side developing with her.

Also - I think you'll all be happy to hear that there will be less angst in the coming chapters and more acknowledgement of the Lucaya :) we've crossed the bridge and now it's just going to be fluffier and fluffier as we move forward!


	18. Boy Attends Pizza Night

A/N: Don't let the title deceive you - important things happen. How important...? ? ?

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Has Pizza Night

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

So we've been back at school now for a month. There have been no changes in the dynamic between the four of us. Farkle is still hilarious awkward all the time. Riley is still helpful, caring, and interested in everyone's life. Maya is still – well – Maya. She pretends to not care about anyone but then surprises us with little things.

For example, yesterday I forgot a pencil for Geography and there was a pop quiz. Riley and Farkle took this class last year when Maya and I opted for an advanced art class instead. I asked a few other people because Maya doesn't usually carry and extra pencil – not an extra writing pencil anyway. But after I return to my desk to check once more before running to the hallway to use the supplies dispenser there's a glittery pencil. She leans over and whispered to me, "It's purple lead but it's a pencil so you'll have to deal with it."

Then this morning Riley forgot her lunch money on the kitchen counter. She pulled out her cell phone to ask if her dad would run a lunch to the school really quick, but Maya carries cash almost all of the time so she pulled out a twenty and told Riley to put it on her account. She continued smacking her gum and hopped right in line.

So now as we're sitting at the lunch tables Farkle is rattling on about his last debate of the season being this weekend. Riley is committing herself to the event. Maya is grumbling because she knows she'll have to go even though she doesn't prefer to attend.

"What's the topic?" Riley asks befor taking a bite of her steamed cauliflower. I'm working my way through the beef and gravy dish in front of me when I see Maya glance over at me. She subconsciously makes a face that causes me to laugh. I find instantly, though, that it was the wrong time to laugh.

"I'm sorry, Lucas, but is there something funny about that?" Riley demands in utter shock. Maya straightens herself and starts wiping her cheeks in an attempt to hide her amusement. I guess I shouldn't call it an _attempt_ because nobody questions Maya whatsoever.

"I – I – I -" Since I'm stuttering Maya brushes Riley with her elbow.

"I probably heard the girls behind him talking about farts. Missy's boyfriend apartment farted during an _intimate_ situation. Who wouldn't laugh at that?" Maya's save is completely made up, but she plays well off of the environment around us. Missy is behind us and they _are _talking about her boyfriend. Riley glares at Missy but seems to believe it.

When she finally grins I know I owe Maya big for covering up the flirting between us, "I hope he farts every time he looks at her. She's a bad girl." Riley's rivalry with Missy has not ended since junior high when she tried to take me out on a date. It's one of the only things that Riley feels hateful towards. I grin cautiously and nod at her, playing along as seamlessly as Maya would do in my situation.

"That would suck to be so repulsive to someone that your body just involuntarily emits gas." I realize once I've spoken that I've not chosen my words very well. Maya almost screams with laughter. We're all watching her. Farkle with a happily dazed look of surprise; Riley is staring in embarrassment; but I'm just watching with admiration. The way her eyes squint almost completely shut when she's laughing this hard – it's just beautiful.

I almost catch myself staring too long and too hard, so I break myself off and return to my dish. When she's done laughing we all silently agree to change topics to something less touchy. Most of the cafeteria is staring at us from Maya's excessive laughter. When it's time to go, Maya leaves with Riley and I'm left with Farkle to finish off my milk.

We chat idly about homework that is due this week. He asks if I'd like to come over for the afternoon on Sunday, to which I agree sounds nice. He offers to bring a veggie platter since he knows I love raw vegetables because they remind me of home. I don't admit this aloud as being accurate information but he doesn't need to confirmation. Things go quiet after this and eventually we both get up at the same time.

I won't see Maya for the remainder of the day but I've grown used to it since returning. I'm sure she'll text me after her class tonight. She usually invites me over for pizza because she doesn't want to cook and she knows I'll grab the food on my over. These are the nights that I look forward to because I know that I'll more than likely be able to rekindle some of the chemistry that we had back in Texas.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Glancing up at the clock I realize that I've accidentally run class a little later than usual. I quickly apologize to everyone and wave the class off with a half-assed farewell. I bet Lucas has already worry-texted me at least twice. Tonight is our 'pizza' night because I teach a late night cardio class. I'm chugging back my fruit punch Thirst Quencher drink provided to all instructors by the gym when one of my older male students comes up and offers me a fresh towel.

"Allen – thank you very much!" My smile is not forced. Allen is a father of three and started taking evening classes because his doctor was worried about his cholesterol and blood pressure. He tells me all these stories about his daughters and his wife and their goofy pets. I enjoy chatting with him after class, even when I really just want to get the hell out so I can meet up with Lucas.

"You seem much happier since coming back form Texas. Did you meet a boy?" His smirk is just so kind and approachable. I accidentally find myself admitting aloud to someone other than Farkle about the strange relationship between Lucas and myself.

I start wiping sweat from my forehead as I tell him the truth, "I sure did. It's actually the guy I went down there with… I've kind of liked him for years but things just fell into place while we were gone. It was nice." He pats me back and mimics the same motions I'm doing to ensure complete dryness before venturing out into the cold hallways.

"Well he must be a good one. Your happiness with him really shows in your teaching. You were great before but you've just blossomed as an instructor this month. I'm really excited for you two." Allen is just so wonderful. In many ways he tries to be a father figure to me when we're here. I had told him I never knew my dad and that he was a big reason why I was a troublemaker as kid. So he really goes out of his way to be supportive of me. I really appreciate it, too, because even though I have my shit together it gets hard no having an adult to call my own. Even though Allen has his own children when we are that the gym his focus is on me and I'll be ever thankful for the kindness he shows me.

After I tell him a little more about Lucas and the situation he just shrugs. Apparently his daughters a few years back got into a tiff about a boy they both liked. He started dating the older sister but eventually started dating the younger one after a nasty break-up. Said that he was surprised when his older daughter was supportive of the relationship. The boy and his younger daughter have been dating for almost two years now, which I could hardly believe when he tells me. It gives me a glimmer of hope, though, that if we ever do slip up in front of Riley that she won't totally freak out about it.

"You can trust the people you love more than you think you can, child. When the time is right for all of you things will work out just fine." He assures me. I thank him but he's not listening. His phone is ringing and it appears to be his work. Inevitably he's struggling with himself about answering it or pretending that he was busy. I am proud when I watch him put it back into his pocket. He knows his limits and he always chooses his family before his job.

As soon as he's outside of the classroom I pull my winter jacket over my head and finagle my hands so that I can phone Lucas and let him know that I'm finally done for the night. I'm note surprised when he tells me that he's already at my apartment with the food.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

When I see Maya come around the corner I stand straight up and wiggle my limbs as much as I can with a pizza box. She took a little bit longer than I had expected, longer than she should have actually, but I won't be asking her why. I'm just thankful for her to let me still come over. Anytime I get to have with Maya alone is precious and I think after watching my parents divorce I know how to pick my battles quite well. Well… well enough?

"My timing was off. I'm sorry. The pizza is probably cold…" I decide to open with self-blame. She shakes her head and starts toying with her key chain. She pulls off a key to her door with a tiny clip keychain. After setting it on top of the box she fiddles with her keys again and then opens her door. Maya casually strolls in but I'm looking at the single key that is just sitting on the box. I hear her calling me inside but I don't move. I just keep looking at the key on the box.

"Come on, Sundance, we got some cold pizza to eat and bad television to watch!" She shouts at me once more. I take the key and let it hang from my pinky as I step in; seconds later she is behind me taking away the pizza box. When I shut the door she mumbles for me to lock it. I do this habitually so I ignore the request in terms of hearing rather than doing. When I catch up to her at the table she is already chowing down on a piece of pizza.

I set myself down next to her and put the key on the table, "Is this a copy of your apartment key?" Without even hesitating I watch her begin nodding her head at me casually. The fact that she is clearly accepted this idea already is frightening flattering. Although, I can't help but be concerned, and I am voicing it to her, "Why?"

A slice of pizza is hanging loosely in her hand, "Because you're over all the time. Because you usually end up waiting on me because I get side tracked and run late. Because it's cold outside and the building isn't insulated well. Because I trust you to make yourself at home…" She kind of stops and just finishes chewing her food. I watching in amazement because it feels like she's put a lot of thought into this decision. And yet, somehow I know she can't have. At least not much because she wouldn't have hinted to it at some point in time, I think, seeing as we text each other nearly all day.

"That's quite a big decision…" I remark as I selfishly pull out my own set of keys and add it to the rest without so much as denying her offer. When she sees this she just shrugs.

"I can't express my feelings properly. It never bothered me before because you didn't reciprocate the same emotion. Now that we've got it all under wraps I figured on my way home that I could just pick up a copy at the late night hardware store. Consider it another confirmation of my lo…" Just them she coughs and excuses herself for a glass of water. It feels very forced though. When she rinses her glass out she looks over at my nervously and attempts to finish her thought with a tone of finality, "I trust you, Lucas. I'm just showing you that I care enough and trust you enough to share my home with you."

Maya wants me to ignore what she almost said, and she can see that I did not miss it, so she just looks down as I'm gazing at her. To address it would have been unfair to her, and to myself if I'm honest with myself. This relationship that we have, if it can even be called that, is very strange and it is happening all out of order. Well, it feels all out of order, anyway. I want to get up and hug her and kiss the end of her nose and lace my fingers in hers and ask her to just say what she meant to say…

But I know that this is not the right time. I just have this feeling that right now it wouldn't be perfect. So I just keep sitting her watching her watch me start eating the cold pizza. A conversation starts, but it's just us trying to figure out what show to watch tonight. We decide to watch reruns in Spanish as we are cleaning up the mess. After doing dishes side-by-side for about ten minutes we end up the couch under one comforter and all the lights off.

I don't remember what time it was when we sat down or what we were last talking about, honestly. Somehow we both fell asleep, though. When I wake up it is nearly one in the morning! I jump right off of the couch and grab my phone, which has vibrated right off of Maya's side table. Since she fell asleep on my lap she is jostled awake by my movements. Rubbing her make-up smudged eyes she almost forgot I was even there to begin with.

"Hublah?" Her hands are moving through her hair doing who knows what. I'm just scrolling through my phone reading messages from Riley, Mom, Dad, Conner, Farkle, and even Auggie. Apparently nobody knew where I was and since Farkle had debate practice last night there was no way he could cover for me. His text messages apologized and said he didn't say a word about where I was to anyone except my mother. As the result, though, Riley found out.

**Riley: Lucas.**

**Riley: Lucas Friar.**

**Riley: Your Mother is very A-N-G-R-Y with you.**

**Riley: I don't care that you are Maya's apt.**

**Riley: BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE TOLD SOMEONE!**

**Riley: ! !#! !**

**Riley: :[ :[**

"Shit. Shit." I start swearing softly, but slowly get louder, "Shit! SHIT! SHIT!" Eventually I just put my phone back down and decide to pretend I didn't see the messages. By this time, though, Maya is reading her own missed messages and calls. The ones from Riley, though, are being read out loud to me.

"Lucas is missing, Maya, do you know where he is? Maya, this is serious! Maya? Did you make it home alright? Is Lucas with you? Nobody can find Lucas? Maya?! MAYA?! This is URGENT! Please call me when you get these messages. Maya? Lucas' mother just told everyone that she found a message form Lucas on the fridge that he was at your apartment. Is he there with you? Are you there? You guys need to tell people if you are making plans. Everyone is worried sick about you two! WE ARE HAVING A SERIOUS TALK TOMORROW! ALL THREE OF US!" Maya mocks Riley's shouting voice as she reads the messages to me. I sit back on the couch in a bit of a fuss about the entire situation. Finally I think I am starting to see what Maya had been so worried about all along. Now that we are facing the very real possibility that we will have to tell Riley the truth…

I'm scared to death of how it will affect our friendships. We got Farkle tangled up in our mess, too, so he will be affected by our poor decisions. Feelings that Maya had described when she had her fit of panic on the way to Six Flags begin washing over me. Even in her sleepy state she notices this immediately and scoots closer.

Her chest is pressed against my shoulder and her hands are rubbing quick circles over my elbows, all the while she hushes my softly. Occasionally she lets go and leans back just far enough to blow a few rapid breaths down my neck. Even though it doesn't sound in theory that it would be comforting I am soon at ease. Our roles now reversed from earlier with my head in her lap. She's looking down at me with the edge of her ponytail tickling the top of my head as it rests over her shoulder.

"How did you get so good at that?" I dare to ask her in a solemn voice.

"Panic attacks and anxiety attacks don't differ much from the withdrawal symptoms a drug user might experience. Why do you think it took so long for authorities to get involved with me and mom?" Maya doesn't even try to hide the life she lived anymore. For many years of our friendship her life was shrouded in mystery for me. Even though I sometimes came by with Riley and Farkle to hang out on nights her mother worked late, I never knew the extent at which she had suffered. At least, not until her mother had the whole overdose thing happening. I feel somewhat enraged as I recall all of this. Looking at her is almost painful but I'm sure she doesn't dwell on it anymore.

"I appreciate you, Maya. I'm glad you worry about things that I don't and that you understand things I couldn't imagine in my dizziest daydreams." My voice is serious even if my face is smiling. Whatever stress comes from this hiccup surely is worth the returned grin upon her lips.

When she hesitates I want to be concerned but there's not a thing she could say to hurt me at this point, and she doesn't disprove my thoughts, "Two parts of a whole, right? Balance each other out… My city dilutes your country…" She puts her hand over my stomach and pats gently. I assume this is a signal to move, which is correct because she immediately wanders off into the bathroom. I see that she's left her phone behind.

When the door shuts I grab her cell phone and decide to cover our tracks on my own for once, I owe her that much.

**Maya: Sorry, Riley.**

**Maya: Class ran over late. I called Lucas to meet me at the subway.**

**Maya: My phone died and Lucas had his one silent.**

**Maya: I'm so so so so sorry for not picking up.**

**Maya: We fell asleep while eating dinner.**

**Riley: We will discuss this tomorrow.**

**Riley: But I'm glad you're both safe.**

* * *

><p>AN: I've slowly been deviating form the outline over the last few chapters to the point where I'm not even entirely sure the remainder of the outline is going to be relevant. I've made a lot of changes which I think were necessary to keep a story that was built up a lot on angst-litter romance truly interesting.

Anyway - I've got a lot of personal stuff happening with my family right now. I also have some big changes taking place at work. It's all pretty major stuff so I can't promise the 3-4 chapters weekly like I had hoped to keep up throughout until this fic was completed. I can promise at least one chapter every 7-8 days. To keep those of you reading this itching for the next chapter here are 3 key words on what to expect coming up in the next chapter or two.

Date.

Confrontation.

Good-bye.

Who knows in what order these things will happen... Who knows who they'll happen with either! Just keep reading and leaving reviews (which I appreciate with both of my Time Lord hearts, wink Dr Who reference wink).


	19. Girls Growing Up

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girls Growing Up

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Riley told me that she wanted to give me some of my stuff back today since she's moving soon. It's approximately a month out, maybe a little less than that I suppose, but she is packing her room and asked if I could come pick everything up. I agree to this, right, because it is the right thing to do and because some of the items she said were in the box are things that I lost and had been looking for (a belt, cell phone charger, watches, and all that miscellaneous stuff we learn to live without or learn to replace cheaply).

But now that I'm sitting on the couch of the Matthews' next to Maya who is casually picking away at an orange with a bowl resting on her chest… agreeing to come was probably a terrible idea. Maya told me she was coming to 'chat' with Riley about 'going missing' last night. I didn't piece together that Riley was probably going to drag me into this.

Mr. Matthews is sitting down and Mrs. Matthews is standing behind him. Riley is sitting on top of the coffee table next to Maya's feet. Everyone is staring me down since I kind of started the entire problem. In fact, even Maya is glaring at me now. She leans over and whispers, "What's it like to be the problem child, Cowboy?"

Riley whacks Maya in the leg to which Topanga simply clicks her tongue disapprovingly. While this is happening I'm just kind of staring into the black void of the television screen waiting for someone else to start the conversation. Thankfully it isn't a particularly long wait because Mr. Matthews doesn't like the awkward silence anymore than I seem to at this point.

"Why didn't you tell anyone that you were walking Maya home?" He asks plainly. He raises his brows very discreetly at me. One thing I know about him is that he never liked that Riley was dating me. Actually, he liked me even less than other boyfriends – and Riley had some surprisingly sketchy boyfriends in the past. But he probably feared that I'd be the one that stole her away, as most fathers probably worry about with their daughters.

I glance back at Maya who is chewing her orange peacefully. She doesn't have a father who cares what happens to her. Or a mother. I look back at Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, completely and intentionally bypassing Riley who likely would see right through my bull shit if she saw me dead on.

"I didn't think it would matter. I hadn't really expected to fall asleep while we were eating." My statement falls shorter than I meant it to because even Mr. Matthews scoffs a little bit. But it's Mrs. Matthews who ends up calling me out.

One foot forwards, "Luke, sweetie, you've never once disrespected a rule of your mother's – especially when it comes to checking in and updating her on your whereabouts. We all know that you would have called her and told her if you were running more than five minutes late."

Even though this information is completely true, there are also many aspects of it that are not accurate anymore. I have never disrespected any of my mother's rules but I have bent them to my favor. Following her rules, however, does not mean hat I haven't lied to her. I have most certainly been spending my fair share of times lying to her no differently than I've lied to everyone else around me.

"My mom doesn't like Riley. She's still nagging me about taking her to Texas. She doesn't like it when I take Maya home. Actually… she just hates me being in the same city as Maya." I admit aloud. It's not a complete lie but it is basically a fairly big exaggeration.

Mrs. Matthews and Mr. Matthews look at each other in understanding. After this they ask Auggie to please go to his room. They also ask Riley to leave the room as well. Mr. and Mrs. Matthews stand until they are sure that Riley and Auggie have left the room. Mrs. Matthews goes to check the hallways while Mr. Matthews stays behind staring at Maya and me. When Mrs. Matthews is out of ear short he leans forward.

"How does Riley not know?" He whispers.

Maya shakes her head, moving her tray to the table. Mr. Matthews puts his hand up but Maya gets up and smacks it away. She points her finger into Mr. Matthews face and shakes her head, "There's nothing for Riley to know." I am hardly surprised since she's very much a part of the Matthews family but she's never acted out in this way before, at least not to my knowledge. Mrs. Matthews barely makes it out of the hallway when Maya storms past her to join Riley in her bedroom.

Now as it's just Mr. and Mrs. Matthews and myself things get incredibly upfront. Mrs. Matthews sits next to me and puts her hand on my shoulder while Mr. Matthews buries his face into his hands.

"Lucas, your father called us before Farkle told your mom the truth. He asked us to talk to you… two, but Maya seems to have run off…" Mrs. Matthews was looking over at Mr. Matthews disapprovingly. He is shrugging now. Mrs. Matthews begins wiggling her lips around and scrunching her nose now as she tries to pick the right words to start.

Mr. Matthews is twirling his thumbs around.

So even though not much times passes, I can't stand these two trying to figure out to talk to me. If my father talked to them already then I can't imagine there's anything else I can do to avoid any of this, "Maya and I are not doing anything _intimate_. I can assure you of that. We're just hanging out together. Honestly, we eat pizza after her classes every week. I didn't feel like going home and we fell asleep watching television. That's the truth."

Mrs. Matthews seems a little nervous and questioning of my response. Mr. Matthews is far more accepting and visibly relaxes in his chair. I allow myself to chill out a tiny bit and lean all the way back onto the couch. Mrs. Matthews hand is on my knee, as it was many other times she'd spoken to Riley and I about 'feelings' and 'desires' common in young people our age. I think most of her hesitation comes from the fact that this is not about her own daughter, the daughter that she's taking to California.

"None of us that know about you and Maya have told your mom but you are right. She was never very fond of Maya…" Mrs. Matthews finally speaks. I nod in acceptance. Mom has not spoken to me yet but I am expecting her to talk to me about the 'bad influence' that Maya has over me. A frown digs itself deep into my expression but I try to resist by responding positively.

Mr. Matthews seems to be the most optimistic of us all, though, because he is smiling kindly at me from time-to-time as each minute passes slowly. Mrs. Matthews occasionally pats me and then shifts in her seat. Then she opens her mouth to speak but she doesn't ever quite get her thoughts out.

"Listen, Friar, we don't care what strange relationship you three have with each other and how you deal with your teenager changes. At least, we don't care as long as you aren't getting yourselves into trouble. Les told us that you two we getting real cozy on the ranch and that he worried how Sheila would react if she found out the truth…

"And we all care about Maya like family here. And Les – your father adores her. So we aren't trying to have _that_ talk with you. Please just be more careful about yourself. If you care about the relationship you have with her then you need to stop shutting everyone out." Unsurprisingly, Mr. Matthews delivers a vital piece of information. It was incredibly sad to think that he could not longer teach and give to other people the way he's given to Riley, Maya, Farkle, and myself. He clearly had what it took to be a great teacher. It was just a shame that with the lay offs and the judgmental parents that he didn't get to get this anymore.

Mrs. Matthews smiles at him and pulls me into a hug, continuing the lesson in her maternal fashion, "Besides parents are here to make sure their children are happy. Riley is fine – she's excited about college and she's having a great time just casually dating Derrick. Now we just wan to make sure Maya is happy when we leave. She isn't going to be very happy if your mom tells you that you can't hang out with her anymore, is she?"

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Riley is sitting on her bed with her arms crossed. I am sitting with mine crossed in the window. She is pouting and I'm scowling. She wants to ask me questions but I don't want to answer them. We both know these things without speaking. And if I am honest with myself I suppose we both know the truth of this entire mess without actually saying that we know.

So it is coming down to two things:

1) Does she trust me enough to open up to her about Lucas?

…or…

2) Do I trust her enough to open up about Lucas if she asks?

I am fully aware that this is essentially the same question being asked twice. However, the way it is being asked determines who should be at fault for the problems that result. That is how my mind works, or at least that's how it was trained to work at a young age. Unfortunately, I never did kick the habit completely.

"Maya…" She begins in a huff.

I groan internally in frustration, "…Riley…"

She throws herself backwards on the bed and sort of shouts and moans and cries all at once. It is exactly the sort of romantic comedy teenager whine that you'd expect on the big screen. Riley was always really a dramatic. Normally I did not mind but I was on the receiving end of the drama now and I sort of wish I had never encouraged her to become the talented actress I know she could be if she wanted.

"I'm worried about you and Lucas. Are you guys shutting me out on purpose?" She barely managed say the words flatly. I can literally see the struggle on her face. The way this is going to play out makes itself clear and this frightens me immensely. However, I know that I just have to take it all one small step at a time. I also know that I still have no intentions of telling Riley exactly what was really happening.

Basically I decide to dig my grave even deeper.

"No." As soon as I say it she throws herself back upright and points at me with her chin tucked into her chest.

"But you admit you're shutting me out!" She announces.

"Sure, Riles, I guess so." I move around and place my arms at my sides. As she loosens up so do I until somehow we are hugging one another and leaning against the window. When we are breaking apart she pats my head.

I consider now that maybe I should just oust myself and be honest. She's my best friend, after all, and surely could understand how I feel about Lucas. Not too long ago she had the same exact feelings…but she starts talking again.

Smile planted on that adorably inviting face of hers, "I understand that you guys are trying to bond because I'm moving away so soon, but I'm just as scared of the change. I want to cherish these last weeks with you both _together_. At this point – we'll be lucky if his mom allows him near you anywhere outside of school! Please just be more careful in the future, Maya, because you – and Lucas – and Farkle – you are my everything! If I can't have you all together…." She starts crying a little bit, honest crying too. I lean in and kiss her forehead gently. This is definitely not the appropriate time to tell her the real reason Lucas and I are avoiding her.

I was right all along. Being upfront about our feelings would really destroy the friendships we all shared. After that, though, we start talking about the reading assignment we had at school and discussing homework that Riley had already completed. She invites me to stay for dinner, which I agree to do as she pulls out her cell phone and clearly reads a text message.

"How do you feel about finally meeting Derrick? Turns out his boss called and gave him the night off!" She exclaims kindly as she opens the door to her bedroom. When we reach the living room Lucas is already gone. I feel my heart sink in spite of my spirits lifting. The last thing I really want to see is his guilty face staring back at mine. Right now I just want to meet Derrick and enjoy a lovely meal with my beloved Matthews family.

* * *

><p>AN: Firstly, I know the last two chapters have probably felt lackluster. I feel that this always happens when we start to make large jumps in time because so many things could have happened but aren't addressed. I always wanted the bulk of this story to take place in Texas over the school break because I wanted to show how I personally felt the relationship would evolve into a full blown romance.

Secondly, I know this story is not lost on angst even though it isn't the primary genre for this particular fic. Allow me to formally announce - NO MORE. In the next chapters you're going to - finally - finally - FINALLY get all that fluff you've been _craving_ from this story. We're shifting to a new journey where Lucas and Maya can be open about their feelings.

Thirdly, with point two in mind - my personally is to finish this story this week. This is a feasible possibility but there is a chance I won't be able to achieve this depending on my work schedule (which is mega stressful this week in particular). I want to get this story wrapped up so that I can refocus myself on some other real life writing goals I had for myself that I in turn neglected when I started this fic.

And lastly! This story is going to have a twist ending that I'm semi-confident none of you will see coming. Any guesses?

(Thanks again to all of you reading, especially those of you reading the author notes. I put them here for a reason so I appreciate you taking my creative and actual thoughts into your heart).


	20. Girl Says Good-bye

A/N: There's going to be a small section that is told primarily in past tense because I felt like it was the best way to approach it. You'll know it when you see it – I just hope that I integrated it in a way that doesn't confuse you as a reader! Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Says Good-Bye (Part One)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_Next week is Spring Break. It's also the start of Prom Season. Tickets go on sale Friday for my school. I've been picking Farkle's mind to find out who he plans to go with or to see if he knows what's going on with Lucas or Maya, but he says that he isn't sure. I am assuming that neither of them have decided what to do or how to proceed now that I'm leaving so soon._

_I am really sad that I won't get to go to Prom with my best friends, but Derrick invited me to his prom so that I wouldn't miss out. It's this Saturday! What a great way to start Spring Break, huh? I'm trying to be positive about this huge change in my life. I know it will ultimately be for the better but I can't help but worry about Maya. Dad and Mom have assured me many times that they invited Maya to come out to California but she said she can't follow me around forever. Nothing is going to be harder than walking away from Maya knowing that when I see her again that it'll be for a quick holiday visit. I hope that someday we'll live in the same city again._

_Speaking of leaving, I've got a whole parade of fun things that I'm doing to say farewell to each of the special people in my life. Farkle and I are going to see a Broadway showing of RENT. It is so classic and exciting. I told him about it yesterday and he nearly fainted. Maya and I are just going to do a tour of the city with our phones and video tape ourselves as we recount some of the most important days of our lives. I'm going to have Dad put it all together on a thumb drive so that we will never forget each other._

_Derrick and I are obviously going to Prom together, but we're also going to dine out together and just relax. Even though we're sort-of-sort-of-not a couple we decided very nonchalantly that me leaving was no big deal and it wouldn't change the dynamic between us, which is good. I'll be happy about that because with Lucas…_

_Well, with Lucas things are just different now… Even though the 'gang' all gets along just fine, Lucas doesn't look at me the same. He doesn't look at me the way I know I look at him. I loved him with everything I had in me and when I look at him now a small part of me remembers how that felt and misses it. But this is not how he looks at me. Instead the look he gives me is the one he gives his football buddies, his debate club partners, or his neighbors. He looks at me now and I'm just another person he enjoys seeing every because we're friends._

_So for Lucas I'm taking him to the first place we went on a date – a hot dog place near the Hudson. It's just going to be a little farewell run, it's definitely going to be the shortest good-bye event of the week but something tells me that we understand each other enough to know why. Anyway, I need to start picking out the outfits and the routes and mentally preparing myself for what this week is going to bring to me._

_Yours,_

_Riley xoxo_

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

The show was spectacular but it doesn't match the smell of flowers blooming blowing through the air when Farkle and I go outside. I wrap my arm inside of his and smile widely. Many people who have known us since junior high always thought Farkle was the odd ball. Really, he wasn't. He always kept us together, actually. As we're walking he is humming his favorite tune, and perhaps the most overplayed one, form the musical. I almost join in but I choose to interrupt him instead.

"Thank you." I say softly.

He shakes his head, "It is I should thank you, Ms. Matthews. You've been so wonderful to me."

A dozen feet or so I see free cab waiting underneath the stoplight. I am surprised that there's one after a show as packed as RENT was tonight. Regardless I speed up so that we can catch it before someone else gets it.

"Oh, Farkle, that's how friends are supposed to be to one another." I tell him kindly, following up quickly, "Besides, how could anyone live with himself or herself if they were anything but nice to you?"

He does his signature laugh with slightly less huzzah. We quietly get into the cab. Farkle is sitting all the way to the left behind the driver and I'm sitting comfortable on the right. The window is closed by default because it's late evening and the driver definitely doesn't want to hear the nasty things that might happen between passengers this late. I say nasty because I'm sitting where said things could be happening. That makes me uncomfortable…

"I don't want to say good-bye to any of you, you know? But we have always known we wouldn't all be going into life to do the same thing, right?" Sharing this information aloud with him somehow brings me a level of comfort. Even though we all talked about our dreams over the summer we never really did discuss the fact that we would all end up in different places. Farkle looks over at me with a very sullen expression on his face.

His weak smile breaks my heart, but not as much as what I'm sure I'm about to hear; "Of course we didn't believe that, Matthews, but we accepted that a long time ago. All of us have already moved on and started laying the paths to our future."

The air is yanked out of me by his words. This basically confirms the heavy feeling that I've had since Maya and Lucas came back from Texas. It assures me that this is why Farkle always seems to be running away from me. I reach over and take his hand, squeezing as tight as my body can manage in this devastating moment. This really is good-bye. And I fear that I'm the only one saying it.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Today has been a whirlwind. Maya and I both skipped school, myself most reluctantly, so that we could go all around town. We're sitting at the table of our favorite café near Maya's apartment looking at the list I've written up. She's smiling and laughing, acting like she's not impressed with my great ideas.

"Where we first met…" She reads.

I continue the list, excitedly mind you, since I have memorized it; "My first kiss, your first kiss, my first break-up, your first job, my first job, our favorite pizza parlor, our favorite outlet shop, our favorite ice cream shop, and finally our favorite movie theatre!"

Maya folds the paper up nicely and checks her phone. I see a flicker of disappointment across her face as she very quickly swishes her fingers across the screen. I assume she's just deleting an e-mail about something and pretend I didn't see the expression. When her eyes look back up at me she's back to her usual Maya-self we just grin at each other.

"We are going to get out of here if we want to get to all of these places, aren't we?" I push her cup closer to her and nod enthusiastically. Seconds later we are on our feet and chuckling as we head out the front door.

* * *

><p>Several hours have passed now. The place where Maya and I first met was lovely. She recalled about all of these hurtful and gross things she thought about me. "A lost soul with no direction or backbone! A sightless girl mirroring the very people she surrounded herself with!" But then she said one really brilliant thing that caused me to cry, "But she was just the kind of girl that I needed to lead a stable life and I knew it by that optimistic twinkle in her eyes."<p>

I was so taken back by her video that I had to watch it again before I could even get myself together enough to say anything. Clearly she outshined me before I ever spoke, but when we went onto our next venue, that's where I became the star – but only because I recounted the events that I had lived.

We decided, well, we argued whether or not to count the kiss from Farkle. Maya did record some of the argument secretly from her phone, which was funny when we re-watched it as inspiration for the real first kiss I had on the steps of the library near the John Quincy Adams Middle School.

Maya kept shouting at me during my video, ensuring that I could hardly keep my laughter form emerging.

"Thomas and I were on a study date for a history presentation." I had begun.

"You guys just trying to make history!" She joked. I made a duck face at her and tried continuing.

"We were waiting for his mom to come get us but she said she was caught in traffic. He told me that my hair looked like bronze." The story is clearly corny, but Maya just cannot let it be, she just has to say something because she's Maya Hart. "Bronze is for third place and he was just looking for third base, duh!" The comment was crude, and this was when my walls just went down. When I did finally finish the story I made sure to remind Maya where she had her first kiss.

Her first kiss, the first one ever, was actually behind a dumpster by her old apartment. When we were there she explained the whole story starting with the fact that the guy lived in the same building and didn't like coming home alone. Maya dropped him at the front door so his father wouldn't attack him. They were just two kids from troubled homes. He was removed through Child Protective Services many years ago. She mentioned that she wished she'd known what happened to him but they never reconnected, not even online.

My first break-up was at the John Quincy Adams football field, so we went back there and got ourselves all the out on the field and sat on the bleachers. Maya narrated the break-up while I acted out the parts on the ground below her off and on when we were exaggerating certain aspects, namely him pretending that he wasn't being such a jerk. But he kissed Missy and that was a no-no that I was not having, especially after the whole trying-to-steal-Lucas event the year prior to that!

Maya's first job was one that she got during her short stint with a foster family. It was as a bus girl at the restaurant her mother worked at, as said as she was to admit it on camera. She cried off and on throughout her taping. I interrupted and shared my opinions on the matter. Ultimately, we both agreed that she missed her mother in spite of everything and she just wanted to hold on to some part of that life.

Maya eventually got a new job, though, which she brags about when we stop at a small craft shop nested in a middle-class style apartment building. This was my only job and it was only like four hours a week. Calling it a part time job would be a joke in itself. Mostly I volunteered to come here because I had to use my money earned to cover the cab costs to and from the subway station. Regardless, we talked about how many extra supplies I was able to get for Maya and how awesome the job experience was, but she tells me again at the end of our video that I never got another job because when I hit high school I started joining clubs and committing myself to everyone else's events that it was "too much to maintain." Whatever, I had told her.

The trip to our pizza parlor is quick. We grab our lunch there, talk about how much fun we'd been having all day. She checks her phone again and has that same grim light over her. For some reason she thinks I'm not seeing it but I understand why its there, I think. Maya isn't good with strong emotions. She never really has been but that's why we're having this day. We're expressing all of the love and fun we've shared over the years.

The outlet shop is just a trip to buy each other silly gifts. We take pictures in clothes that we'd never wear. We take turns dressing each other up and doing the catwalk. We are there so long that a floor associate actually tells us that we need to leave or make a purchase because we are disturbing other customers. We caught it all on camera, though, and barely hold out laughter in as we check out some bracelets and hats. For Maya I grabbed a cowboy chic hat and for me she gets a little pillbox hat with neon yellow net. Even though they are really mismatched we love them and wear them all the way to our stop at the ice cream store.

There she ordered my treat and I ordered hers, knowing full well what the other likes. Maya likes all ice cream even if she never admits aloud to anyone. But I know that fudge brownie is her absolute favorite with cherry syrup on top. Mine is the exact opposite, a cherry blast ice cream with fudge syrup. We get our treats to go since Maya has a class this evening. We had not realized how late it had gotten until we were approaching our final stop – a movie theatre showing some Korean drama film this week. We go inside, ice cream in hand because we know all the employees and they really don't care.

* * *

><p>Maya leads me to the snack counter where they already have her bottled water and small popcorn waiting. She hands them her fancy debit card that has a picture of her and me on it, pointing and laughing at Lucas, who had taken the picture she used for the custom card. The cashier today is Naia, she is the only person working here that is not apart of the family, and she only works on Thursday nights when the family goes out bowling.<p>

After we take our seats we take a bunch of pictures of the empty theatre and then selfies shots of use as previews carry on behind us for countless Korean Dramas we will never end up watching. As soon as the lights dim, Maya turns her phone off and steals mine away from me. We have been filming with her phone most of the day so I can imagine that she doesn't have much more battery available for the shenanigans that are about to go down.

There's a couple arguing loudly on the screen to start. I thrust myself upright and take on the role of the wife, "YOU ALWAYS EAT TOO MUCH CEREAL!"

Maya doesn't get up, but she replies when the angle shifts to show the husband defending himself; "BUT I AM HAVING A MID-LIFE CRISIS!" After a short lull and angry glaring at one another, he wails his arms and begins screaming again, "BESDIES FOUR OUNCES IS NOT THAT MUCH!"

I start stomping around in place to make my point as the wife that "too much cereal" really is just "too much cereal" and there would be no negotiations about the severity or the quantity. I end the scene with a fantastic closing line, "YOUR LACK OF SELF-CONTROL BRINGS SHAME TO THIS FAMILY!"

As each scene passes by on the screen the more comfortable we become acting alongside the show. At some point the projectionist even brightens the lights a little bit. I think I hear some of the staff laughing too. I am not actually sure what the film was about or even how it ended, but Maya and I spent a great deal of the time seeking counseling for our cereal problems and how it ultimately broke down our marriage until we learned my character was pregnant with oatmeal infants.

It hasn't felt like it's been nearly two hours, but the red battery lights on our screens and the missed texts suggest that it really is only forty-five minutes until Maya's class begins. Thankfully we are not too far from her apartment so she can still change and make it on time. We climb into the near taxi with a very welcoming group of teenagers and split the ride five ways when we all get out on Maya's block.

Ten minutes later while we're walking up to Maya's building she swirls herself around quickly and throws her arms around me, reminding me quietly how much she loves me, "You are the only real family I've ever had and I never once deserved you." When she pulls away she kisses my cheek and promises she will call me later when the class is over. I ask her to have Lucas walk her home because it's supposed to be stormy.

She says she will think about it but I don't doubt for a second that she will do it. Lucas and Maya are much closer as friends now, which will be good. They can confide in one another as the year winds down without me in New York. Farkle will be here, too, and will be able to guide them through whatever struggles they experience in my absence. Also… I think Lucas and Maya have a secret, so I hope that they will chill out about it after I finally move away.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

_Dear Diary,_

_My date with Derrick last night was pleasant. It was a nice relaxing night. The evening I spent with Farkle and the day I spent with Maya were literally dripping with emotions. Everyone around me is drowning in sadness and I was ready to suffocate until Derrick picked me up at the subway and carried me – this was literally the best part – PIGGYBACK to the restaurant! We fell through the door laughing!_

_And then he kissed me. I wasn't expecting it. I didn't want it but I didn't _not_ want it. I was just surprised. We held our foreheads together for a second before the hostess seated us. We talked about Prom being in a couple of days and he was telling me that he might apply for college in California. After – of course – he takes time off to work and focus on nothing but a paycheck. Even though I don't agree with this I found myself strangely at ease. I didn't want to fix him to or encourage him to do something else. I just smiled at him and told him I'd love to see him there._

_But it will not be this easy with Lucas tomorrow. I know I'm going to try to change his mind about college. I'm going to try to convince him to reach for the stars or something. I'm going to be blabbing about the good ole times and the what-ifs. It's going to be a long meal of awkwardness but it's going to be the shortest good-bye of them all._

_Yours,_

_Riley xoxo_

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Lucas has his hands in his pockets. I've been sitting on a bench just out of sight of the hot dog stand. I was texting Maya about bailing on Lucas even though she knew I wouldn't do it. Heck, I knew I wouldn't do it even if I wanted actually thought I could. He looks like this trip is an inconvenience. Or maybe he's just mad because the hot dog lady keeps asking him if he got stood up. Maya said he was texting her about the annoying hot dog stand lady.

I know Mindy, though, and I know that she is going to have to close up soon. Her blond hair was hanging loosely in a braid as she kept shouting for Lucas to order or leave. I asked her to run the stand tonight, though, so I know she's just hassling himself before I arrive. It's been long enough and I know it is time to face Lucas one-on-one for the last time.

I jog my way through the streets and nearly trip into his arms, but he steadies me politely. After very softly thanking him we order our favorite Chicago-style hot dogs (in New York of all places, right). As we're walking along the sidewalk it ends up being Lucas who speaks first, which I honestly wasn't expecting.

"We are going to miss you, Riley. We're all sad to see you go." I know the words are practically programmed at this point. Everyone has said something along those lines this week. I'm bound to hear it at my going away party tomorrow evening. When it comes from Lucas' lips they mean no more and no less than they would form other casual friends.

And as much as I want to keep this inside of myself, I just don't. "Are we okay? I thought we were friends but we don't feel like friends. There's no possible way I can leave without knowing why things are so different."

When we stop and look at each other things feel almost like they used to feel from both of us, but something causes Lucas to look away and smirk nervously. I did not want to make-up with him or anything but I just wanted to see that he hadn't forgotten what we shared. Unfortunately, Lucas must have been far more gone that I thought when we broke up because it's just a faded memory in his expression now.

"We fell out of love. This is high school and it's ending. It feels different because two years ago we were different people than we are now. If we were still exactly the same we'd still be dating, don't you think? But to answer your actual question – yes – Riley – we are absolutely okay." He begins walking along again in a very swift fashion, in a very run-away-from-the-conversation fashion. It reminds me of Maya quite a lot. I shiver a little bit but catch up to him and really reflect on what he told me.

"I suppose you're right. We both moved on very quickly. Maybe this was just a stepping-stone to finding out who we are and what we want out of life. I just got worried because the bond between us feels strained and nonexistent. When I left here the last thing I wanted was to feel like there was something unfinished between us." As I am saying this I catch him laughing at me. I shove him to the side with my elbow. It causes him to drop his hot dog. I stare in shock but we end up laughing almost immediately.

He throws the hot dog away and pulls me into a genuine hug, quelling whatever concerns I had about our friendship, "Our chapter is finished but you still hold a place in my memories, Riley Matthews."

I thought this good-bye would be the easiest. Instead, I am bawling my eyes out by the time I get to the subway.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry about the diary entry. It kind of tells you what to expect from the events but I didn't want it to be that the only glimpse of the "goodbye" we are saying to Riley.

Also, notice that we have now had 2 of our 3 keywords show up. There was the confrontation with Mr. & Mrs. Matthews. And this chapter was our good-bye.

The only thing left now is the DATE :)

Are you excited?


	21. Boy Buys Tickets & The Almost Date

A/N: This chapter is actually two mini chapters. One will take place with Maya & Lucas. The other will be Farkle & Lucas.

* * *

><p>AN2: Also – disclaimer – this chapter mentions sexual activity, sexually transmitted diseases, and safe sexual behavior. It is very, very mild and extremely inexplicit. If you don't feel like you want to read this – or feel that you aren't old enough to read this (by the way, this is rated teen with the disclosure about this very thing – you should be like 13 years or older, I hope) – please don't read the entire chapter. I'm posting a very short summary at the end of the chapter for those you not wanting to miss out on anything.

But really – it's not bad. I think I did a good job of addressing a theme that is age appropriate for our characters (who are 17-18 years old and graduating high school) in an all ages reader fashion (assuming my readers are 13 years and older). I think you'd be fine to read it, but if not – like I said – Summary.

No more author notes until the end ENJOY!

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Boys Buying Tickets

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

It took me nearly three weeks to crack but I finally have told my mother about my feelings for Maya. Part of the reason I've had to do this is because I want to take Maya to our prom coming up in two weeks and I need money to do that. Whatever money I get from babysitting on the weekends and running deliveries for the sub shop around the corner goes to cabs, eating out, and other things that in hindsight were not as important as senior prom.

She keeps texting me through the day asking me if I'm sure that I really feel so strongly about Maya. I never have to hesitate in my response either. There is no doubt in my mind that I – and yes I mean what I'm saying and thinking right now – _love_ her. Not a single thing in my life has been more resounding, more calming, nor more enveloping than my _love_ for Maya. Since Riley has left we've been far more open about ourselves.

I keep thinking back to a few days ago – when I finally chose to use the word 'love' to describe my feelings – when Maya was laughing so hard at something I said in the cafeteria. Her whole bodied had turned toward me and she'd wrapped both of her arms around mine, her chin slowing sinking down until it rested on my shoulder comfortably. I just watched with a grin planted stupidly on my face. Even now the tingly sensation that overcomes me is almost crippling. I know in my heart (or is it Hart?) that this will never change.

As I'm cruising through the hallway after staying over to do some more laps in Advanced Fitness, I actually come across Farkle talking to Smackle, or as she likes to call herself now Izzo. I still call her Smackle because I refuse to see her as anything but the dorky debate girl that has been stepping on Farkle's coattails for years. They get on nicely, though, and sometimes they even seem to be…

"Did you just give her a prom ticket!" I shout at him mostly against my will. I definitely thought this but I really don't have a filter sometimes, so I see this and I'm just astounded. Farkle turns and thanks Smackle for her time. She says she will 'come by' his house later to hash out the details of their arrangement. Me, I'm just slowly walking up to Farkle with a dropped jaw and squinting eyes.

"In response to your question, Friar, I did. You're not the only person with secrets, after all." Farkle uses that flirty voice of his that is so bad and yet it is still so good. When Smackle is out of sight I look at him with a sideways grin and ruffle that bowl cut do he's still sporting.

"Well, it seems that we're finding true love right where we never would have expected to look, aren't we buddy?" Farkle grins at me and I know it's not true. He expected Smackle to love him, to adore him, to obsess over him, or whatever it is he wanted from her. The only surprise to him is that he wanted it. I, on the other hand, had no idea how Maya felt and never wanted to look for it from her until I stopped wanting it. Farkle's chose was deliberate. My choice was accidental.

That's when I realize that I was going to ask him a favor, which I incidentally just blurt out as I'm thinking; "Will you buy another pair of tickets for me?"

Farkle doesn't even bother asking me who they are for or why I can't buy them myself. Instead he just sticks his scrawny hand out. I push the fifty bucks into his hand. I watch him put it into his pocket and wait for what inevitably comes next.

"Farkle doesn't work for free, Mr. Friar. You want a service. You pay for a service. That's business, sweet cheeks." My cheeks twitch as I try to hold back the laughter that his corporate side always invokes. Even though he is being serious I just simply can't take him seriously. It's comical to me. Regardless of how silly he looks and sounds I just hand him an additional ten bucks. His expression screams "CHEAP" but his hands say "BUT ITS MONEY" because he just pushes the extra cash in his pocket.

"Where am I to deliver the merchandise?" He asks me. But Maya rounds the corner and will soon within earshot. I shove Farkle and pretend to be tripping. My shoelace is the first thing I see and I pull it undone. When Maya reaches me with hands shoved in her plaid dress pockets I just look up while I'm tying my laces again, "Dang shoes, am I right?"

She just nods and starts to walk away. Before she gets too far I grab her arm, "Do you have plans after your class tonight?" My voice sounds as desperate as I feel.

When Maya actually continues nodding at me in affirmation that she has plans I feel a twinge bit angry. If she had plans why is this the first I'm hearing about it?

Thankfully she quells my rage immediately; "I'm eating dinner at your house." Her finger points at me authoritatively which sends a flutter throughout my body. Farkle chuckles before waving at us both and going exactly where I asked him to go. He doesn't need to be told that if Maya follows him for "intel" to say that he's purchasing tickets for him and his date. She'd believe it long enough for me to get a plan together about dinner.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Boy & The Almost Date

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

My mom is standing in the doorway reminding me that "no sex" is safer than "safe sex." And that before engaging in "safe sex" one should always get and "STD test." I assure her that I know _all_ of these things from my many health classes but she asks me again to tell her which STDs are curable and which ones are not. Before she leaves I ask her to remind me what I've said all night.

"That you're not having sex with Maya Hart…" She replies. I grab her cheeks and kiss her forehead. When I push her back out the door she scoffs at me and asks that I stay true to my word. Since this is turning into the same song stuck on repeat I shut the door in her face. Maya will be here in approximately ten minutes. I have to check on the steak in the oven, I have to finish the mashed potatoes, and I definitely went last on the asparagus and bought microwaveable steam bags. I have to get it all on a plate so that all Maya needs to do when she gets here is walk into the dining room and sit down. Underneath her plate will be her prom ticket.

As I reach into my back pocket I realize that my wallet isn't there. This is no big deal. I just changed clothes fifteen minutes ago. I just left my wallet in those pants. Since my hands are behind me I pull out my phone from the other pocket. I have a quite few missed messages.

**Riley: I'm missing all of you! I hear prom tickets are on sale! Be sure to text me all the deets about your dates ;)**

**Maya: Running a little behind schedules – boss asked me to pick up an extra class next week – be there soon!**

**Farkle: Bowtie or tie? Should I cumberbun? Wing-tipped shoes?**

**Mom: REMEMBER – NO SEX!**

**Les: Your mother is having an attack – please no sex kid – she will have a heart attack.**

**Smackle (1 of 2) : Lucas, I wanted to text you to inform you that I found your wallet on Farkle's front porch. I have to pass yo…**

**Smackle (2 for 2): …ur house on the way to Book Club so I will have to drop it off for you. I expect you need the Prom Tickets now.**

When I read the last two messages I just turn right back around to the kitchen. So I have to improvise since I don't have my wallet with me. Maya will be here before Smackle gets here. There is absolutely no question about that detail. I will have to find a way for her to get the tickets inside of the house with Maya realizing she is here. I then also have to find a coy way to ask her to prom without her seeing it coming.

Maya can see everything a mile away and I really just want to get under her skin by making this a true surprise. Speaking of surprises, when I get back out the kitchen I find my dad standing against the counter. "DAD!"

"Howdy, partner! Yer mom made me fly up here after ya told her about Maya the other day. She thinks we need to have a 'family meeting' about becomin' a man." There is not a doubt in my mind what he is saying is true. My mom and I were closer when I was young but throughout the teenage years I have found that she projects onto me the expectations she had of herself. It has played a big role in the fact that I want to go run the Friar Ranch with my dad.

"I suppose I need to plate for three somehow, then." Accepting that what I had hoped would be a "date" like event with Maya is turning instead into a reunion. There's nothing wrong with this but it does throw a wrench into my wanting to ask Maya to prom.

Twenty minutes later Maya finally arrives. When she does my dad has already cleared his plate and is moving upstairs. She doesn't even know he is here because she goes straight the kitchen table and starts chowing down. I quietly follow her lead and start dining.

We banter a little bit as she recounts some strange conversation she heard on the subway, I say I understand the point-of-view while she argues that I see only what makes me look good. As we are transitioning into something more serious – like the many text messages that I am receiving from my mother about sexual activity – I catch sight of Smackle sneaking into the house from the back patio. Maya is angled perfectly that she won't have noticed yet, and this makes me grateful for _something_ this evening.

"Excuse me…" I say half-heartedly. She raises her brows and starts to look behind her but I knock over her glass. There's only ice left in it because she was very thirsty, apparently, but it startles her and distracts her from finding Smackle. I offer to grab her a new drink. Maya tries to follow me but I push her down and disagree. "I was going to get a refill anyway."

"Your glass hasn't been touched yet, Lucas." Her observation throws me for a loop. I take my glass and chug it against my better judgment. Blue eyes are boring through me as I try to make a good reason to leave the room. It appears that she's gotten the hint because she agrees to just sit. When I start working back to the kitchen I see that Smackle took the cues and has made it to my kitchen as well.

I breathe in relief. She hands me the wallet and is whispering an apology to me. With great difficult, I manage to hear the bulk of it. However, when I try to lead her to the front door I bump into my mom who has snuck back to "check on things." I didn't even hear her come in! Panic is swelling in my gut now.

"Lovely to see you, Sheila. My mother wishes to congratulate you on your winning floral designs this past winter season." Smackle hums to my mother kindly. I jab her with my elbow hoping to drive her out but my mother just carries on this hushes conversation with her that abruptly comes to an end when Maya pops out of nowhere and includes her two cents.

"Nobody cares about floral presentation because right now because I'm Maya Hart and I'm very confused." Her hands find the smalls of both my mother's and Smackle's back as she turns them towards me and shoves. When her arms cross I know that she just wants to know what I'm trying to hide. I wish desperately I could point my fingers at someone else but there is nobody who could speak before me because this starts with me. So I just shrug and mumble incoherently.

"Flar herbna guerh, ya?" She's not buying it, though. I don't know how this evening ended up being the opposite of what I was imagining but it is happening. There are no other options so I kind of just start telling it form the beginning, "I told my mom that I care about you. She thinks that after I spent the night at your house … well … you can fill in the gaps on that… That's why she's here! And Smackle was bringing my wallet back because I left it at Farkle's house. That's why she's here!" I hadn't realized how loudly I was speaking until my father is back in the room chewing on some black licorice that he must have sniffed out in mom's room.

"And Sheila can't handle any of this commotion. That's why I'm here!" He chuckles. Just as plainly and calmly as anyone could manage he walks up to Maya and wraps his arm around her shoulders. I feel my mom tense up next to me. She must not have known that Dad actually really likes her. This is another fantastic reason to live with my Dad. He supports my choices as long as they aren't hurting me.

Maya soon announces that she's full anyway and that we all may as well take a seat in the living room; and that we should tell the story from the beginning. Smackle intervenes and just hands my wallet to me. She has a Book Club meeting, she reminds us, that she must be able in approximately nine minutes. The poor girl is so embarrassed that she leaves before I say 'thanks' for bringing my wallet back in the first place. It might have been easier to let it get stolen.

My mom busies herself in an act of stalling by clearing up the dishes and making a dish of fresh strawberries with chocolate whipped cream as a dessert. In the meantime my dad, Maya, and I are all just waiting on the couch. Maya is sitting in between us just in case when mom gets back she can't handle the maturity level of the conversation.

"Lucas?" My dad leans behind Maya's head and whispers at me. I don't know why he's trying to be hush-hush but I'm sure this is all just for a comical effect.

"Yes, sir?" Habitually calling him sir has no play in my choice of words. I do this as a small act of irritation, actually, so that he knows I am not laughing at his attempt to be funny.

"Did you ask Maya yet?" I freeze. This isn't just a freeze like a brain fart kind of freeze. My whole entire body just stops – no blinking, no breathing, no thinking – absolutely nothing is happening physically, physiologically, emotionally, or mentally. I'm just stuck.

Maya then leans back and interrupts the conversation, "I really don't know if anyone thought I was deaf but I definitely heard that whole exchange." Her nose wrinkling brings life back to me. I grin at her and kind of tilt my head and stare at my dad. He has caught on that the question he is referring to and the question I actually had planned for tonight are very different questions. Very different; as different as two questions could probably be, honestly…

"I was going to invite you to prom tonight… as a date?" Mentally kicking myself for posing the statement as a question within a statement, the only thing that I can do now is wear a very fake smile and hope that it is charming enough that she'll take enough pity on me to agree.

Thankfully the awkward silence of her not accepting and also not rejecting me is squashed. Everyone takes their plates and begins eating, except my mom who is asking Maya what her sexual history is and whether or not she's been tested for STDs which she could have inherited through her mother…

"Or various sexual encounters…" Her eyebrows are wiggling in suspicion hoping that crack Maya enough to get her to blurt out some revealing piece of information. However, I know that this won't be happening and that she's trying to squeeze blood from a turnip.

Maya replies with her usual wit, which brightens the uncomfortable tone of the room significantly, "I have an entire sexual profile. It lists all of my intimate partners, all of the diseases I carry, and even my preferences for acts of intimacy."

The way she purses her lips kind makes me realize _why_ we need to be having this conversation. I am feeling a very strong desire to pull her into my lap and kiss her until the sun comes up. Of course, my mother hardly sees the humor and gasps.

Shouting almost immediately after, "THIS IS A SERIOUS CONVERSATION, NOW, YOUNG LADY!"

"This was just supposed to be stay-in date to ask about an actual date for prom. I'm so sorry that this is happening right now, Maya." I say shyly while placing my hand on her knee. My mom swiftly grabs a rolled up magazine and swats my hand off of her leg. I throw my hands in the air instantaneously. Maya is laughing, I can't say at which detail but she is at least laughing at something.

"Ma'am, I know this is serious. I just can't take you seriously because you are just panicking about it instead of treating us like adults. Lucas is eighteen now and I'll be eighteen this summer. If you want _me_ specifically to listen then you need to treat me like I'm capable of listening." She surprises me here. Even though she has only been in my mother's presence a few times I never would have guessed that she was capable of speaking to my mom this way. Everything about this moment makes me proud of her because she is showing me yet again how grown up she actually is now.

My mother is receptive and she leans back casually, with a compelling smile on her face. My dad is just as impressed as I am, especially when she proves receptive to Maya's mature approach. My mother starts expressing her concerns about underage sexual activity. My father actually starts talking about the dynamic between us both.

I hardly notice as the minutes melt away and I find that it's nearly been two hours! Once we all have discussed the physical relationship between Maya and I – determining most frequently that there is not actually any relationship yet and therefore no physical relationship – Mom and Dad say that they are finally going to let Maya and I have some alone time to talk amongst ourselves.

"But don't forget that we need to talk about the other thing tomorrow evening." My mother calls behind her as she leads my father to door. I look at Maya and just shake my head. I know that she is going to try asking me again, but after the very grown-up conversation that we had tonight I cannot imagine that she wants to delve into that conversation.

And even if she does, I can't tell her because that's a surprise for another day.

We sit quietly for nearly fifteen minutes before I turn to her and grin, apologizing for the evening before we can actually talk start talking about Prom… again… "Sorry about the almost-date we had tonight."

But Maya rolls her head back and starts howling about it all.

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

ALL AGES SAFE CHAPTER SUMMARY

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

**Boy Buys Tickets – mini chapter 1**

Lucas wants to buy Prom tickets for himself and Maya without Maya catching on before he formally asks her. Riley has been gone for 3 weeks and even though they're more openly flirting with one another they haven't actually moved forward at all in their relationship. Farkle asks Smackle to Prom and Lucas finds out that Farkle has not only been keeping the secret about his friends' relationship but also his own.

**Boy & The Almost Date – mini chapter 2**

Lucas has invited Maya over to his house for a night in after she teachers her after school class at the gym. His mother expresses concern about physical intimacy between Lucas and Maya. During his dinner date with Maya, Smackle crashes the date by sneaking in to give Lucas his wallet with the prom tickets. His mother also returns and crashes the date. After Smackle leaves everyone has a mature conversation about Lucas and Maya's developing relationship.

But Lucas mentions on a couple of occasions that he has a big surprise for Maya, but he hasn't hinted to what yet.

* * *

><p>AN: So this chapter was probably not the best in terms of formatting, and I apologize for that. It's hard with the limited formatting to achieve everything the way I do in my processor. Also, since I was iffy about the conversation between Sheila, Les, Lucas, and Maya being a potential issue for younger readers – there was just a lot happening in this chapter and I don't know what else to say.

Hopefully you liked it ya?!


	22. Girl Goes to Prom (Pt 1)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Girl Goes to Prom (Part 1)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I'm standing in front of my mirror in my white bandeau and red spandex panties. So many years of struggling with myself have put me on the path to this night. The drugs with my mother were crippling and life changing. Try as she might, she never could quite be the mother she dreamt herself of becoming to me. And the anorexia nervosa, the bulimia… Even the self-harm that I never did tell anyone about… All of it somehow had put me right here in front of this mirror getting ready to go out with Lucas Friar.

Not as a friend, either, but as his _girlfriend_.

I'll never be completely sure when I started occupying this role but that's what people were labeling us. I was his girlfriend and he was my boyfriend, even though neither one of us ever agreed to the titles. In fact, we haven't even discussed this with one another yet. Whenever we try it sort of slides right on by and we never formally say if we are if we are not.

My phone buzzes and I lose track of myself for a moment. I walk to my bed where my fiery orange dress is laid out on the freshly cleaned sheets. It is a fairly standard strapless prom dress that is a corset style torso with a deep heart (or Hart because I'm funny in that respect) neckline. The skirt is a is a very wild and wavy tulle fabric that is meant to look like a deflated tutu, if I'm not mistaken. But it describes me perfectly. I'm bright and passionate, just the like the oranges and yellow accents and the red gems bedazzling the neckline. But, the dress is short and revealing which matches my brutal honesty and sharp nature. Nothing could fit me more accurately than this dress.

And I don't care that I may or may not have had to sell some of my favorite pieces of art just to buy it. Tonight is going to be magnificent and I am going to remember it for the rest of my life. Apparently, though, I wasn't going to have much say in how memorable tonight was going to be… evidenced by the texts I am reading form Lucas.

**Lucas: I'm going to be there in fifteen minutes. **

**Lucas: You better be sitting at the front door so you'll have a moment to take all of THIS in!**

**Lucas: THIS being my attractiveness.**

I pick the dress up and slide it up rather than pulling it down. It ties in the back but I creatively re-laced so that instead of needing one of the teenagers from upstairs I can simply tie it in a bow in the small of my back. My mother was always working. And when she wasn't working all the time she was getting high somewhere else. I learned a long time ago that I had to rely on myself because nobody would always be around to help out. However, I took some selfies yesterday and I do believe I have mastered this technique.

After I am properly dressed I got the bathroom and very quickly braid a glittery ribbon in my half-up hairdo. This way hair isn't in my face while I'm dancing but it covers my shoulders so I don't feel _completely_ exposed. My phone goes off on the counter as I lose myself in the reflection – asking myself as I do so if going without make-up to the dance was the wisest move. I look at it and I see that this message is from Farkle rather than Lucas, which is what I was expecting.

**Farkle: Are you sure you guys don't want to come to the steak house?**

**Me: I'm sure. Lucas and I just want to grab a slice of pizza on the way over to the banquet hall.**

**Me: Thanks for offering, though.**

**Farkle: Can't wait to see you there – WITH LUCAS!**

**Me: Har har har**

**Me: Catch ya later ;)**

Finally I decide to put some brown eyeliner and very faint golden eye shadow. It makes my eyes pop just a tiny bit more and makes me feel a little bit better about myself. I flash a grin in the mirror triple checking that my teeth are as clean as they could possibly be...

Then a loud pounding at my door startles me. I place both hands over my stomach. Everything about this prom is surreal. I still cannot believe that all of this is happening _to me_. Is _is_ happening, _isn't it?_ I run my hands flat against my bottom and breathe steadily in preparation for the whole "reveal" moment I'm about to share with Lucas Friar.

My date.

I barely feel myself shuffling to the door. I've left my white peep toe high heels at the front door so that I can just slip my feet inside before inviting Lucas inside. I manage to do this very shakily just as he begins slamming his fist against the metal again, asking if I'm ignoring him in the process. Involuntarily a chuckle parts my lips.

"PATIENCE, COWYBOY!" I holler into the crack of the door. Hesitation doesn't even try to hide from me. With my face laying flat against the door I wonder if this is a mistake. After tonight there is going to be absolutely no doubt that Lucas and I are a couple. In many ways, tonight is going to be our declaration to everyone that we are more than friends. So much more…

This is exactly what I've always secretly wanted, though. I used to fantasize about Lucas taking me to prom as a joke and falling madly in love. Or me being nominated for Homecoming Queen as a joke and Lucas being the obvious Homecoming King and then when we're dancing a spark flies and we just _know_. So many times I've made up these silly dreams full of hope. Now that something is actually coming true… shouldn't I regret this?

"Maya Hart, don't you go changin' yer mind on me, ya hear?" He's overdoing his southern flare with a thick and clearly fake accent. The smile it brings to my face washes out the doubts that have long harbored themselves inside of me. Regret is far from my mind now. As long as he wants to be here I have to forget what other people want because at the end of the day it is just us two, side-by-side. We have to be the ones choosing if we'll hold hands or not.

With closed eyes, I step back and twist my doorknob, having unconsciously already unlocked the deadbolt. I keep my lids squeezed tight as I step back and swing the door open. The gust of air sends a few strands of hair flying backwards. There is no turning back at this point.

My nerves are shot and I hardly notice that Lucas has pushed the door from my grip. I feel very limp and relax, almost enough to open my eyes, actually. Suddenly that changes when Lucas puts a hand on my wrist. It is frightening how he can jerk my emotions every which way like this but I just exhale coolly.

Oh yeah, he probably thinks I'm chill.

But I feel his nose brushing against mine, so I guess maybe he doesn't think I'm so chill. Lucas just wants to get me rattled before we leave. This is made clearer when he narrates his thoughts, "I want nothing more than to kiss you, Maya Hart, because right now you're the dream I wish I'd had. But I know that you want to choose your moment, little lady."

The heat of his breath is very tempting. I _almost_ want to kiss him right this instant. Something deep down tells me that this is definitely not the right time. There's no turning back after I kiss him, actually _kiss_ him, and I have to be sure that I am ready to take that final jump over the edge.

"We need to get going, Friar. Prom? Remember?" How did I do that? How did I just 'play it cool' so … so … boss-ly?

Lucas then grabs me and pushes me over his shoulder. My hands self-consciously cover my chest. I start crying for him to crab my silver jacket that is hanging on the closet door. Quickly swiping it up, he walks us out into the hallway and locks the door with _his copy_ of my key. Lucas then drapes the jacket over my behind and continues hauling me outside on his shoulder. Instead of resisting I think that it will be significantly more fun to go along with the charade.

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

I have two giant slices of pizza, one for each hand, and I walk back to Maya. She's smiling and waving at someone she recognizes and barely notices me as I get nearer. It's nice that she doesn't feel like she needs to watch me every second to know that I will come back. That is the kind of trust that you usually don't see in people our age and it is amazingly refreshing.

"Thin crust, extra pepperoni?" I say to her as I push her piece out. She raises and eyebrow before eyeballing my piece with that suspicious smirk of hers that sends shivers down my spine. While her eyes are down cast I lick my lips and just take in her beauty selfishly. I am so lucky to be with her.

"That was awful kind of ya, sir, but ya didn't need to take all yer meat off fer me." She replies, mocking my signature move by pretending to tip a hate to me. Throwing my free arm around her waist and guide her back down the sidewalk towards our destination.

"Maya Hart, over the years there have been a great many things I didn't need to do for you…." I start with a tone of sarcasm. But I feel her gaze boring into the side of my face, waiting for the catch. Instead I stop to take a bit and chew while staring right back at her, "…but I am willing to bet there's not a thing that you can think of that I haven't done because you asked it of me."

Hard features that make of Maya's standard expression soften. I can see she's still not as comfortable with the idea of us dating as I am, which is perfectly fine. Maya has always felt the need to question if she deserves the things she's got, and even after all this time that means things that aren't only dictated by her feelings. It hurts to know she is still unsure, but tonight my goal is to make her see that there's hope for us. If I can make her choose this with me as actively…

"Kiss me?" She says.

My envy of her is replaced with flustered irritation. Although I would more than certainly oblige under better circumstances, this is not a "better circumstances" situation. I just walk away from her knowing that she's trying to make it look like I'm exaggerating. I won't have this. I won't argue this.

Tonight is _our_ night and our usual petty arguing is not getting in the way of it. Prom. This is prom night. Happy times. Fun times.

"Oh I get it, cowboy. Perfect night. Love is in the air, right?" She jokes. But I don't know if she's joking. In fact, I'm choking on my pizza. Maya punches me in the back and I kind of spit up the dough and sauce and cheese mush that was once a delicious piece of pepperoni-less pizza. Bending over allows me to drop it out and catch my breath… and ask Maya a not-question-question to see if she answers…

"Is it?" Two words. My two words about her one word. Love. Is it? I already admitted to myself that I love Maya. But is this her way of breaking the glass surrounding that off-limits topic? Or am I possibly, probably, overthinking all of this?

Her scoff warns me that she slipped up. She doesn't say a word after this. Instead we hook arms and finish our pizza silently. At some point we're walking so perfectly in sync Maya starts scatting and throwing in lyrics about the mates that walked around with silly gaits and it was really bad. It was just bad, bad, bad. This is what makes me love her so much those.

This is why I have a big surprise for her.

Nearly twenty minutes later we are on the stairs of the banquet hall. Tons of people are flowing in and laughing and waving at us. Maya isn't holding my hand and is no longer hooked onto my arm. She's actually standing a few inches away from me nervously rubbing her arms in an attempt to dispel her anxiety…

"When we get inside…" She starts, but I already know where she's going to finish this conversation. I decide to just squash all of it in one fell swoop.

"You are my date. You – Maya Hart – are here – at this Prom – as my – D – A – T – E. Date means to go out on a social engagement with someone. We are going inside and we are going to go down the COUPLES staircase as Prince Friar and Princess Hart." As I was speaking I thought it would be really funny to poke her in the middle of her chest where her heart is actually biologically located. Maya is surprisingly impressed by this, grabbing my hand and swinging it down and then back and forth as she gets closer to me; a genuine smile creping over her bare lips.

Her brows wrinkle together but I know it means nothing, confirming herself by saying quickly, "Sure thing, Huckleberry."

After that she willingly laces her fingers in mine, squeezing very hard as she does so. It is the smallest step forward but it truly is progress. The pair of us fall into the line and check in with our tickets. We are being sorted by some underclassmen who are working for their student counsel volunteer credits. As soon as we are put in line Maya steps aside, stating that she needs to use the restroom quickly.

As I am waiting I check my cell phone and see that Farkle says he needs to speak to me immediately. I decide to call him while I'm waiting for Maya to return but he doesn't answer. In fact, his line goes directly to voicemail. Grunting in victory, I choose to not worry about it. Suddenly a young lady comes over and waves almost directly in front of my face.

"Hello Prince Friar!" She squeals. I look down my nose at her hoping that if I don't take too much interest she will calm down or walk away. By no means am I trying to get right of her or do I think I'm better than talking to her. I just really, _really_ can't handle a hyperactive teenage girl who isn't Maya. "I just wanted to say that you and your girlfriend are going up in a few moments. Is there any special way you would like to be introduced?"

I am shaking my head when Maya strolls back over. The young lady teeters off and continues ushering people down to the dance. A couple is introduced, and then a group of friends. Then another couple. Then another group of friends. Finally, when it is our turn Maya takes a sharp breath in… "Are we ready to be this?"

We don't have time to discuss it, though, and I'm thankful. Only seconds later we are sort of being pushed into the main hall. All eyes are on us as a tasteful yellow light is shined upon us. Maya's smile is probably frightening since it is definitely being forced, but at least I know I'm sincere. As we descend the stairs I hear a bunch of people cheering and congratulating us for _finally_ – yes, people are saying FINALLY – getting together. As soon as we reach the bottoms of the stairs Farkle bombards us with hugs and cheek kisses.

"MAYA! LUCAS! MAYA! LUCAS! FARKLE!" Maya is nodding and shaking her head and slowly growing confused. I just go along with it at first, but when he continues to hug Maya and spinning her around concern swells in my gut. "MAYA! PUNCH?"

Whenever Farkle is shouting it can never be a good thing. However, Maya agrees as though this is perfectly normal mannerism. The two of them disappear into the crowd leaving me to my own devices. Unsure what to do with myself or if I should seek out other friends my first instinct is to cautiously pull out my cell phone. That's when I see a text message from the **very last person **I expected to see here.

**Riley: We. Need. To. Talk.**

**Riley: RIGHT.**

**Riley: NOW!**

* * *

><p>AN: So at last - we have Maya & Lucas admitting that they are a couple!

Some stuff that I left out earlier in the story is going to be addressed in the next chapter or two. I felt like the story was starting to get bogged down and was making no progress forward. I didn't want you - my loyal readers - to feel like this story was going absolutely nowhere. It was definitely time to progress with our characters more rapidly. Hopefully you find the pace satisfying.

I won't be able to post another chapter until Sunday at the earliest. But here are some key words for the next chapter (or two, I might split the next chapter in half).

1. Honesty

2. Surprise (yes, the surprise that Lucas is referring to - nobody has put any guesses up yet - FOR SHAME)

3. Touch

I think those words a vague enough that I'm not giving too much away :) :) :) Keep reading. & Keep reviewing b/c I makesa me feela speeeeecial!


	23. Girl Goes to Prom (Pt 2)

A/N: I know that I'm like 3 days late posting this chapter. I was going to make this the last chapter, if I'm to be perfectly honest, but when I started writing and thinking about all of the pertinent points I wanted to address - putting it all in this chapter would have been rushed and overwhelming, I think. There's plenty important things happening in this chapter - IMO - but you can judge for yourself! Keep Calm & Read On xoxox

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Goes to Prom (Part 2)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Lucas offers me his jacket as we step around the side of the building and sit on a bench. I instinctually turn my body towards him for warmth but then I remember why I've brought him out here. I was so angry that I nearly forgot why I was angry! And to be honest, I don't know if I'm more upset about the fact that Lucas and Maya are dating or that I didn't really piece it together before…

I shove my arms into the sleeves, seeing as I wore a backless dress that I picked up on the way here. Mom had asked me if I wanted to surprise my friends for prom tonight and I stupidly agreed to come back to New York for a night. Unfortunately, this clearly was a bad decision. It just hurt my feelings seeing all the lies that were kept from me.

"How long were you cheating on me with Maya?" I don't really know it's coming until I've already sort of screamed it. The intention wasn't to scream, either, but so much as calmly ask. Lucas doesn't jump or even look concerned right now so I am just holding my breath in hopes that I don't hear the worst.

Surprisingly, too, he just leans in and kisses my cheek. It's a polite sort of peck that you expect from your grandma or grandpa. Auggie gave me this same kind of kiss when I left California yesterday. When he smiles, though, I know he does not mean to sugar coat his response. And I really don't want him to do that because it hurts more when you don't know the whole story. "I never cheated on you and it isn't any simpler than that right there. But if I am telling you the truth now I might as well say that I was quitting this relationship long before we broke up."

That information is so bad, is it? In a way I clearly was sabotaging our relationship without knowing that's what I was doing… I kept the secret about college in California. I did try to pressure Lucas in applying last spring so that I wouldn't feel like such a jerk for doing it for myself. I may or may not have sent out college applications in Lucas' name… which did kind of tick him off when he found out…

No, I decide, this isn't that bad. I can have this conversation.

"We both were, I suppose. Right? I didn't help anything by keeping it a secret that I was going to college in California…" I reply grimly. Sounding so sad isn't intentional. But Maya did always tell me when I was upset I had this "sad puppy" voice that I couldn't stop doing even if I tried.

Lucas drops his chin into his chest, "Riley, when I say that I was quitting this relationship – I mean I was doing something a little worse than keeping secrets. I was confiding in Maya about decisions that would affect our relationship. I did that and then I had Farkle lie to cover me in case anyone started asking questions."

No.

Nope.

Nopity nope-nada-no-way.

I cannot be having this conversation. Can I? This is a fake thing. It's my imagination. He just told me he wasn't cheating on me with my best friend but then he says this – these words – and it sounds like exactly that! "I thought you weren't cheating on me!" My accusation strikes a nerve as Lucas just shrugs.

How does this even happen? These are the two most important people to me in the whole wide world. Why are they able to hurt me so bad?

"I cannot discount how you feel. What I was doing – it was a form of cheating. I was emotionally confiding in Maya when I should have been turning to you because you were my girlfriend. This is, by no competition, the most shameful decision of my life." The way Lucas is speaking and his body language – it confirms for me that he is being upfront with me now. There is no hiding behind believable lies and other people. Right now it is just Lucas and I and we're getting to the bottom of what broke us up in the first place. Better late than never, am I right? Please, _please_, let me be right.

Since this is what I came out hear asking for I have to be an adult about this. After all, I've been very mature about the break-up. I encouraged the pair of them to go to Texas together. Even though I was suspicious of Lucas at some point because he seemed a little too close to Maya, I had maintained composure. Rarely had I behaved like a "crazy ex-girlfriend."

And I'm not. I'm really not. But I'd be lying if I didn't say I wanted to know what caused it all to come crumbling down, "Why did you go to Maya instead of me? When did that even start happening?"

It's hard to stop the tears from welling up in my eyes. I am fighting very hard to hold them back and for right now I seem to be winning. There is no knowing how long that will be lasting, though.

Lucas sighs, breathes, sighs, and then sucks air in harshly. When he breathes out he says what I subconsciously had feared since I saw him walk out with Maya his date. "I asked Maya if she thought I was stupid for wanting to just go back to Texas and run the ranch with Dad before I even considered it a real option. When Dad suggested it I just felt at home. I wanted someone to tell me I wasn't crazy for feeling that way. Even you can't sit here and say that you would have just told me to do what makes me happy."

As he is saying all of this, firstly, the tears just nosedive onto my cheeks. What hurts the most here is that he is right. When Lucas didn't apply to colleges I started panicking. I wanted him to go off to college with me. Honestly, I ridiculed him for wanting to go back to the ranch because he is so smart. Even though he is telling me he wanted me to support this decision I just know that I could never have done that for him. At the end of the day, if I had forced him into a future he didn't want we eventually would haven broken up eventually. Even worse than that, he would have had student loan debt that he didn't want either.

"This could have been worse…" I say calmly. And then I just keep repeating it. Lucas is patting my shoulder gently as I just slowly accept that this is what is happening. Since I love Lucas and I love Maya I know that being a good friend to them right now super-cedes the fact that I just feel deflated. No matter how accepting I am of the truth it still just takes the wind out of me.

"Riley, I know this must hurt for you. And I don't know if you'll believe me but Maya fought me tooth and nail about our relationship. She has been denying her feelings for years because she knew that you were interested in me. After the break up she was so concerned about being there for both of us that she felt torn in two." Lucas is talking now to reassure me that this was hardly a decision made at the drop of a hat. He also reminds me that the both of us were urging Maya to do things that Maya didn't want to do: like go to Texas.

And Lucas also mentioned…

"Years?" I groan in pain. Maya has liked Lucas for…

"Yes, years. Maya told me that she's always had feelings for me but she knew how interested you were – so she just put it all aside. Maya loves more than anyone and she would do anything to see you happy." As he confirms what he has said I just want to throw myself onto the ground and scream. How could Maya _never_ tell me this? Lucas wasn't automatically mine just because I liked him. When she felt helpless and when she felt like there was nobody out there for her and when she was so distressed she would just run for miles… A small part of me now feels like I contributed to those sorrows…

"Don't feel like that, Riley," Lucas starts, "I can see it on your face. None of that was your fault. Maya chose her path. You cannot be held accountable for her decisions."

When Lucas says this I realize that it's finally the right time for me to be like Maya. All those years ago I tried to be like her and join the homework rebellion. I tried to be tough. I tried to be everything that I'm not – everything that I knew I would never be…

Today is finally the day that being as strong and selfless as Maya. It's time to be a grown up as Maya has always been; it's time to put what my friends what ahead of what I want. And once, just once, I think I can fix everyone all at once. I reach over to Lucas and take his hand in mine. "How can I support your decision to be with Maya?"

It takes a second, but that adorable grin that Lucas gets when he is enjoying himself and realizes something really, _really_ cool. I match his happiness and wait for him to explain, "Actually…"

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

"What's with the shouting back there Farkle?" I have to ask because he's significantly calmer now that we have separated from Lucas. Once we reach the punch table he grabs two cups. I take mine and then he grabs my arm and leads me a little further away from the crowd.

I don't know what I am expecting as we are walking away, but when Farkle speaks I certainly know it wasn't this.

"Riley is here. She saw you guys come out. She was not happy." I feel myself get dizzy. I cannot help but melt when Farkle pulls me into a hallway, trying to hush me as I go form panicked gasping to groaning sobs. We're at the back of the building when I finally crash onto my knees.

Farkle offers to help me but I set my cup of punch on the ground and crawl nervously away from him. When he comes over to help me up I turn at him and shout. I don't know what the words actually are but it startles him and he walks away from me. As soon as Farkle is gone I take my shoes off and run down every corridor and up stairs and into the farthest bathroom from the dance as possible.

When I walk through the door there's a group of three girls smoking. They are staring at me, which just pisses me off. "GET. THE. HELL. OUT!"

These ladies don't have to be told twice, and for this I am most thankful. They just stomp their cigarettes out on the tile and strut from the bathroom, groaning to them selves about the inconvenience. They won't cause any trouble so I push all of this out of my mind.

Well, more accurately – I push as much of it from my mind as possible.

The only thing I can't get out of my mind is that I just hurt Riley.

Nothing feels more horrible than when you realize what a scumbag you are – and that's how I'm stuck feeling on my prom night. It's not even just a regular prom night, like all the underclassmen that are attending with their older siblings or older partners or with a group of people that they know. No, this is my _senior_ prom. This is the last prom I'll get to attend. I don't often want to have a normal childhood, a normal youth experience, whatever it is being called these days. However, this is one thing that I _did_ want to enjoy. For years I believed I would never have this.

And wouldn't it figure I somehow just fucked it all up.

I am so upset that I can't even sob properly. Tears are just melting from my eyes and burning a path into my cheeks are my tears just fall onto the ground. My phone starts buzzing. I almost forgot that I had it on me, but I hadn't gotten a chance to hang my jacket up. Pulling it out of my pocket is a slow action but I do it deliberately at the very least. I see that what's happening is that multiple text messages are coming through.

**Farkle: Was I wrong to walk away?**

**Riley: Maya, I want to talk to you, where are you at?**

**Lucas: Farkle says you ran off.**

**Riley: I know what's going on.**

**Lucas: Riley knows.**

**Farkle: Lucas and Riley are going to have Izzo hack the sound boards…**

**Riley: Maya Hart – you tell me where you are right now!**

**Lucas: Please just tell us where you are…**

I delete all of the message threads and pretend that nobody is trying to get ahold of me. When I was a child I knew when to leave something alone. All of the problems with my mother eventually got solved without me pressuring it. I should have taken a backseat with Lucas and kept my mouth shut. I never should have gone to Texas.

Everything that is happening right now – I just know that I deserve all it.

Time seems to be moving quickly but slowly. Every time that my phone rings, I ignore it. Everyone Lucas texts me a frowny face I reply with a picture of me flipping the camera off. This goes on forever, it feels like, until finally I receive a finally get a message from Farkle saying that Lucas and Maya are checking every ladies' restroom in the building until they find me.

I pull my feet up and set them on the toilet lid, then I plop my butt down on the tank. If Riley is going to come looking for me then I'm going to make it unfairly difficult for her…

* * *

><p>AN: So I've just addressed one of the three words (Honesty).

That means in the next chapter we will get both Surprise and Touch! I'm also planning on the next chapter being the final chapter. I have no epilogue planned at this time.

_**also - i realize now that i have to address some of the reviews i received. two people have made explicitly sexual comments in their reviews. as an adult i really don't mind. however, this story is not sexually explicit and i ask that my readers refrain from making inappropriate comments about the characters. i feel as though i've done a very good job making this story appealing to a very wide age range. as readers i want you to respect the fact that there is a younger audience reader this fic and that your sexually explicit comments are not befitting for those younger readers.**_

_**i do not say these things to hurt anyone's feelings or to attack my readers. i say this because i want to ensure that everyone of any age reading this is in a reading environment that is safe and appropriate for that diverse group.**_


	24. Girl Gets a Surprise

A/N: So there is a very small epilogue. I'm posting at the same time so I hope you enjoy this chapter and the next - the true final chapter.

* * *

><p>XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo<p>

Girl Gets A Surprise

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

"Maya Hart, you better get your butt out of the stall right now." Riley announces as soon as she slams the door against the wall. I refuse to move from my spot. But Riley continues speaking, proving that my stationary position will do nothing for me. "I've looked in every other bathroom. This is the only one left. By default you have to be in here. So I suggest you just come out otherwise I'm going to say some things."

She's bluffing. I decide that she is bluffing. There's nothing that she could possibly say that would make me come out of the bathroom stall. I'll just let her find me and point her angry fingers in my face. I'll take the verbal lashing anyway, regardless if I volunteer for the mission. No, I will stand my ground shamefully in the stall.

She kicks a door in at the end. I am only two stalls away from her now and there's no point to anything. She is going to look at me with angry eyes. Thinking back to all the times my mom yelled at me about something I did to get in trouble, or about the work she was forced to do… What expression did have in those situations?

"Have it your way…" Riley sings as she slowly pushes open another stall door. I want to stand up and see where she is but that will just expose me earlier than I want, so I just continue sitting perfectly still. That's when I hear the door next to me open just as gently as the last. The noise startles me as much as the proximity. I lick each of my thumbs and wipe away the smeared mascara. This is a battle and I must look like a warrior. I must look my best.

"I know why you're hiding. You think I'm upset that you're moving to Texas with Lucas." She announces abruptly outside of my stall door. This captures my attention so fervently that I burst out the door and pin Riley against the wall, one hand pointing a phone into her nose and the other securing her in place.

"I have made no such plans! Jumping to conclusions leads to nothing but trouble, Matthews!" I am shouting. I can't pinpoint exactly why I've reacted so angrily, but hearing Riley make up something like that just hurt my feelings terribly. When I am threatening her she seems to just unmoved. As the seconds tick by a smile forms on her lips until she can't contain herself and just puts her hands on her cheeks in mock surprise.

Then she grabs my shoulders and replies shortly, "But Lucas has!"

I begin shaking my head nervously. Friar would have never been able to talk his parents into this. His father maybe, _maybe_, but definitely not his mother! She despises me desperately. I wrap my arms around myself and begin pacing until I'm positioned in front of a sink. I splash cold water on my face and my up my arms then dry off with the paper towels.

"Maya, why did you never tell me about your feelings for Lucas?" Riley questions. She is hovering next to me. When I glance up in the mirror I see how hurt she is about the whole mess. But it doesn't look like jealousy. It doesn't even look like anger. Instead it just looks like Riley Matthews. The continually disappointed Riley Matthews that I have always known. Her pain is not from anything except the distress of knowing nobody trusted her enough to know the truth – in particular, _I _did not trust her enough to know…

So I just pull her into a side-hug, "When you said you liked him I just thought about how perfect the pair of you were for each other. It was never going to matter how I felt because back then he only had eyes for you."

Riley doesn't buy into it, apparently, because she just shakes her head at me; "I think you were always an option for Lucas but because of your odd friendship he wasn't able to register. After all, as brilliant as Lucas is he fails to see the obvious." I know this information to be true so I don't question that particular detail.

"But you're not oblivious…" This seems like the best route to take the conversation down. Questioning Riley and how her mind works seems easier than trying to say that Lucas didn't this or didn't that.

Riley turns me to face her dead on and she shakes her head, "No I am not. I may not have ever considered the friendship between you and Lucas to be romantic until the night of the rodeo. Since then I have been a bit suspicious – at least of Lucas' intentions."

This provides me comfort to some degree. Knowing that Riley has actually sort of expected this come out makes me feel less awful for keeping her in the dark. However, I still feel the need to verify that this isn't going to make things awkward for us as friends, "So you are cool about this?"

For a frighteningly long moment Riley doesn't do anything. Her face is painted with indecision and thoughtfulness. But when she finally responds with a curt nod I am overcome with relief. I had not expected her to be so accepting. After all of my experiences with her I thought that this would be a disaster, that she'd be horrified by my attraction to Lucas. But instead she's supporting me, "You guys balance each other out in the most ridiculously perfect way."

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

Riley is pushing Maya out of the bathroom. She's wrestling to go back inside, murmuring about Riley being unfair. I have my hands stuffed deep into my pockets and regardless of Maya's hesitation to talk to me about the offer to move to Texas, the only thing I can feel is grateful. If she had left the premises there would have been no way to know where she had gone off to… But she is here and I have nothing to worry about.

Farkle breaks some of the tension and begins clapping and congratulating Riley for finding the 'elusive Maya' in the 'Prom Maze.' When Riley finally guides Maya to the middle of the hall to me, Farkle steps up to my side and points harshly at her, stating his frustrating, "You should never run away from us again, young lady!"

Riley recognizes that this is a moment that I need with Maya alone. I nod to thank her silently for her assistance in broaching the topic with her about moving. Our friends walk around the corner, which gives me to clear to starting talking to Maya seriously. But first…

"That picture was _very_ mature." I say lightly.

"Not any more mature than sending your ex-girlfriend best friend to surprise your new girlfriend best friend." Maya is scowling but she can bring herself to do it directly at me. I take her chin in my right hand and force her to look up at me. We're not going to be bashful about this because it just needs to addressed forwardly.

"I thought you'd be more receptive to the possibility of moving if you saw how chill Riley is about the whole thing. And she is being surprisingly cool about it, isn't she?" Things seem a little easier after I ask Maya about Riley's calmness. But she doesn't warm up to me just yet.

"Alarmingly cool about it…" Maya kind of peers over my shoulder for a minute before looking back at me, probably checking to see if Riley and Farkle have actually left or not. Since she is also being very relaxed on the matter I jump on the opportunity. This might be the only window I have to really have to – well…

I step in closer to her. The tips of our shoes are touching. Reaching forward I realize that she effortlessly slips her hand into mine. With my right hand I trace circles into my thigh as I dictate the words mentally before I speak, "So what all did Riley say in there, exactly?"

Maya is biting the inside of her cheek and its making her lips pucker out in an angular fashion. It's an adorable face and I have to fight every muscle in my body not to lean down and kiss her right now. There has to be order in emotions and there's something that I have to know before I get to that point. When she refocuses on me I am just lost in her eyes. I barely even notice that she's responding, "She told me everything. Both for her _and_ for you."

This means that Riley did mention the surprise to her after all. Selfishly speaking, I would have loved to see her face. But I knew that if Riley was going to accept this that she needed to talk to Maya about it. I was thinking that if Riley and Maya discussed how they feel about my idea then maybe whatever tension remained would be washed away. There is something about those two that can only be solved with one-on-one conversations.

I tuck my hand into my pocket and finger the edges of my wallet as Maya suddenly continues, "Is it true? Were you really going to ask me to move to Texas with you?"

I whip out my wallet. With a mastered technique I am able to used my fore and middle fingers to pull the tickets out. We are flying back in first class so each ticket has our names on it. Watching Maya look at the tickets and read them and then return her gaze to me… I cannot describe it as anything other than satisfying. This is how women should look when they fall in love. Or at least I think that this is the moment where I've finally won Maya over, the exact moment in time that _she_ fell in love _with me_.

As I am putting the wallet away, panic rushes over her. I see it in the way that her chest is moving. All that can be done now is to brace for what I was already expecting. "New York is the only home that I've ever known…"

Hesitation is to be expected; I have known that since I spoke to my parents about inviting her along. My father told me that he would purchase the ticket for Maya only if I could guarantee I could convince her to make the move. He and I both agreed that she should come with me. Mother was less welcoming but she said that she does see how inexplicably happy that Maya makes me. This is my chance to convince her. I mean, I do technically have another month before school comes to an end and I have to leave, but I personally believe that ultimately my best chance at convincing her.

Pushing Maya to answer before she is ready will get me absolutely nowhere. So I'm just watching her watch me. I can't check the time on my phone because I don't dare look away from her. I'm analyzing the way she blinks, how she's breathing, and every other fine detail that will best help me decide what her thought process is on this subject.

Unfortunately, in this moment Maya is absolutely neutral. I couldn't guess how she's leaning if my life depended on it. And, in a way, my life does depend on it…

But after what feels like probably fifteen minutes Maya's lips just curl mischievously into a toothy grin. "…but I don't think New York is home because it's _here_."

Maya throws her arms up around my neck and squeezes me tighter than she ever has before, and nothing is more rewarding than that right now. Feeling her exude such happiness. I feel that this cannot be more positive if I had dictated this event in my life personally. When she starts to pull away I grab her waist and keep her body pressed against my mine.

"Maya Hart, will you very kindly take up residency in Texas with me?" This is my formal request to her. This isn't just asking her to commit to me for the long haul. It's not just me asking her to support my decision to be where I'm happiest. Having her move to Texas with me is asking her to give up a life that she cherished in New York with friends that gave her the motivation to keep going and start over in a family that will never be just quite like her.

I am asking her to start over.

"I'm not moving with you, Lucas Friar."

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

I don't know what it means to feel. The world feels like it is spinning around me but everything is perfectly still. Is my mind betraying me? Maya is standing in front of me. She doesn't look sad. She doesn't look hurt. What am I missing? There's a ringing in my ear that is preventing my brain from processing anything. I can't even feel hurt. I don't.

I.

Don't.

Know.

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

x

And then quicker than I blink it all changes…

She puts a hand on my cheek very delicately, shaking her head as she looks over me. If it weren't for her touch I wouldn't have even been able to tune in enough to hear her squash all my worries. A light voice alerting me, "I'm just catching up."

I think that this is a yes. I tilt my head curiously. Maya mimics me. I shake my head and she shakes her head. I tilt again. I look around. She starts laughing with her entire body. When she leans into me I grab her chin and just nod my head aggressively. That's when she notes her head and just whispers, 'yes.' Moving to Texas… she has accepted my offer… to move to Texas!

I yank her into me and out mouths crash a little bit violently. But as soon as I taste her - a chill evaporates in my veins. Each movement brings an unmistakable coldness to my skin that aches for warmth, which is resolved by holding Maya tight against me. Her hands are tangled in the pockets of my jacket as she breathes me in just as hungrily.

When we separate I look down at her. I am just so thrilled that I pick her up and hold her by her thighs, growling in excitement. Her airy laughter is the single most magnificent sound I've heard in such a long time. Well, not _that_ long because she did just accept my offer to join me in Texas.

Maya surprises me with several rapid pecks: over my lips, over my nose, over my cheeks. Suddenly I hear clapping and laughter. Maya clutches me by the shoulder as she finds the source of the sounds. Although, I think we both already knew who it was…

"WOO!" Riley screams.

"FINALLY!" Farkle squeals.

Maya throws her arms in the air very briefly, "YIPEE KEYE AYE!"

For a silent moment I look up at Maya as she watches our best friends. Very quietly, I am aware that Riley and Maya are chatting. However, I am just cherishing this moment. This was our first kiss and I swear that I'll never stop thinking about it.

* * *

><p>AN: Congrats to the Guest who guessed correctly! Also Congrats to that guest for being the only legitimate guess :):)


	25. And Then There Was Us (Epilogue)

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

And Then There Was Us:

A Brief Epilogue

XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo OxOxOxOxOxOxOx XoXoXoXoXoXo

The landlord has given me a trolley to carry my boxes and my suitcase on when the taxi arrives. Lucas asked me if he could come and help me load everything up but there really wasn't that much. Besides, I didn't want him to know that I actually did one final session this morning. I had to enjoy on last day with my students and if I'm going to be on this long flight to Texas – I needed to be worn out so that I could relax a little and ignore how bored I'll be the entire time.

I'm on the phone with Riley as I'm locking the door for the last time.

"Are you excited?" Riley asks, and it's like the fifteenth time that she's asked me this damn question. I respond to it exactly the same way every single time.

"I'm the kind of excited that is almost scared. It's just like you will be in three months when you start your college experience." I hear her squealing and telling her mom all that I'm leaving the apartment now. Mrs. Matthews also squeals, shouting that I need to call once I land. I shake my head while I stuff the envelope with my keys, and Lucas' spare keys, and shove it under the door.

Riley is talking about how happy she is that Lucas and I are a couple now. We've even updated all our social media websites to "committed relationship." I've updated my profiles to say "Texas" as my residence. When I reach the taxi I have to make her stop talking about how adorable Lucas and I are on the QuickPiks album we've started.

When I arrive at the plane Lucas is already seated, which he texts me as I'm at the baggage station. When I eventually get seated with him he just glares at me. With a frown my face I can only assume one thing…

"I wasn't going to freak out if you told me you wanted to teach one more class. You should have just told me." But he smiles afterwards and I know that he's not upset. I take his hand in mine and lay my head on his shoulder gently. Silence is all around us as the remaining passengers are seating all over the plane. He sighs. This makes me sigh with in exaggeration.

"And then there was us." He says quietly. I know that he is turning before he does, and I meet him with puckered lips. Unsurprisingly, he kisses my nose instead.

We are both grinning now, "And then there was us… and I love you."

I almost think that it's way too soon to say this. But this gut-wrenching heat rises from the pit of my stomach through to my cheeks.

"I love you too, Lucas Friar." No, it's not too early at all. In fact, this is all just exactly the way it should be!

* * *

><p>AN: I had a great time writing this fanfic. I never thought it would end up being so long. Here's some fun facts for the "end of a fanfiction" euphoria that I'm sure you're experience.

Fun Fact 1: I actually had Riley & Maya go dress shopping together and having an argument about Lucas. Riley was talking about Lucas still being into her and upset about the break-up. Maya yelled at her for making Lucas sound like a needy ex.

Fun Fact 2: As a result of the dress shop argument... Riley & Lucas have a confrontation about their break-up. This is when Riley finds out about Lucas and Maya spending the night together. Riley was actually less upset about it in this version of the story than what I portrayed her in the published version.

Fun Fact 3: I never actually planned on Farkle and Smackle (Izzo) hooking up for Prom - it seemed right when I started changing the outline.

Fun Fact 4: This epilogue was never planned. I felt like a turd for not using the line "And then there was us" in the story so I felt like having an epilogue would be the perfect opportunity to justify the title.

* * *

><p>AN Cont'd: For those of you wanting more Lucaya stories - it is currently my obsession so I've got 2 other one-shot outlines. I have set some writing goals for myself.. for original work.. so I'm holding onto those one-shot ideas for times in which I am experiencing strong writer's block. Fanfiction always clears up the brain clog. You can probably expect at least 2 more stories sometime before Christmas.

Thanks again to all of you for reading (especially those of you whom have read my Author Notes and Fun Facts - you are the reason that I exist). You've all been great and I hope that this story gave you great satisfaction as a Girl Meets World Fan! Remember to smile everyday and focus on the good.


End file.
